School Daze, Knight Job
by Tenhawk
Summary: I said I wouldn't post it... but it looks like I was wrong... here is the first part of the sequel to Red and Gold... Latest updates are found on the Journeyverse Yahoo group. : Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you’re hiding a secret
1. Default Chapter

Title : School Daze, (K)night Job Author : Tenhawk  
  
********WARNING!********  
  
This story is NOT part of the Journeyverse continuum! This is the Sequel to 'Red & Gold'  
  
*********WARNING!********  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.  
  
Summary: Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you're hiding a secret from the Slayer.  
  
Warning : Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)  
  
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.  
  
*****  
  
"Excuse me, Mr Harris... It's five thirty..."  
  
Xander almost jumped out of his skin. He did jump clean out of the bed, landing on the balls of his feet in a fighting stance as he looked around for the source of the voice.  
  
"Really Mr Harris... don't you think that's a bit much?"  
  
"Wha?" Xander looked around, his mind finally pinning down the voice. "Computer?"  
  
"Who else? Certainly no one unauthorized could gain access to this apartment."  
  
"Jim left something out about you didn't he?"  
  
There was a brie silence, "I'm not certain how I should respond to that question."  
  
Xander started breathing normally again, "Ok... what are you?"  
  
"I am a Stark Industries Mark 3 AI system."  
  
"AI?"  
  
"Artificial Intelligence, of course... though I'm beginning to wonder how 'real' your supposed intelligence is." "Hey!" Xander protested, "Who the hell programed you to insult me?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Fine." Xander growled, "But you keep it up and I'll just go in and reprogram you myself."  
  
"You don't have the skill to accomplish that properly."  
  
"I know." Xander growled threateningly.  
  
The computer didn't respond or speak the whole time that Xander was pulling clothes from his closet.  
  
*****  
  
Xander sighed as he sat down to breakfast, considering the day ahead of him. This was going to be a rough day, particularly since he didn't think the gang was warned about him coming back from the dead.  
  
He finished up his cereal and dropped the dishes into the dishwasher, thinking that he was going to have a lot to answer for. The fact that they thought he was dead kept him inside the night before, worried that if he ran into Buffy on patrol she might stake him thinking he was a vamp.  
  
At least the public area of school should be enough too keep her from killing him. Cordy and Willow, on the other hand, probably wouldn't be so reserved.  
  
He sighed again and grabbed his keys as he headed for the elevator.  
  
After the door shut behind him the computer's voice echoed through the apartment.  
  
"Phew... I thought he'd never leave."  
  
*****  
  
Xander pulled into the school lot a few minutes before the bell was due to ring and he watched the others head into the school.  
  
Now or never.  
  
He got out of the Impala sedan and hit the door locks as he walked toward the school. He almost reached the steps before the first bit of trouble jumped him.  
  
"Harris!"  
  
Snyder. Xander groaned and turned around, "yes Sir?" "I don't know how you managed to get re-enrolled after skipping out on an entire week of classes and several exams, but I'm going to be watching you!" The troll-like man glared as Xander shrugged it off.  
  
"Yes Sir... Whatever you say..."  
  
"Don't take that tone with me." Snyder growled, stepping up to glare at him from closer range.  
  
Xander rolled his eyes, "Sir, I'm going to be late for class."  
  
Snyder growled, but stepped aside. "I'll be watching you Harris!"  
  
*****  
  
"I'll be watching you Harris!"  
  
Willow snapped around, an odd look on her face.  
  
Oz looked at her worriedly, "What?"  
  
"I thought I just heard Snyder balling out Xander..."  
  
The rocker smiled gently, "I can remember that too..."  
  
"No!" She shook her head, "I mean I really heard it..."  
  
"Willow... you must have imagined it..." Oz said gently, "Its just being back at school... bringing the memories back."  
  
She looked ready to argue, then shook her head softly. "I guess you're right..."  
  
Oz gently laid his hand across her shoulder and walked her to class.  
  
*****  
  
Xander shifted when he saw Willow and Buffy walked into class. Oh shit. Here come the fireworks.  
  
His eyes widened as they walked right past him and didn't even look in his direction. Then he noticed that Buffy was holding Willow, and Wills looked like she'd been crying. His heart fell and he started to go to them, but the teacher came in.  
  
"Alright, everyone back to your desks!" the teacher said, "Since this is the first day I'm going to start easily, but I want everyone paying attention!"  
  
*****  
  
By the time class had ended Xander had worked up his nerve to talk to his friends but they filed out almost before the bell rang and he got caught waiting for a student who was blocking his way.  
  
He sighed. Free period... They'll be in the library...  
  
"I guess I should get this over with." Xander muttered and headed for the door.  
  
He got out in the hall way and was instantly accosted by three of the larger members of the football team.  
  
"Harris!"  
  
He lowered his head, damn. Then turned to look at them, "Yes?"  
  
"We heard you were dead."  
  
"Yep. That's me. Laughed to death the last time I saw your face."  
  
The lead guy growled, "What did you say?"  
  
"I'd repeat it, but I don't feel like speaking in slow motion." Xander replied, getting aggravated. "Now look, I'm kinda busy... so if we can take this up later..."  
  
The center guy growled and grabbed Xander by his lapels. "Listen here, you little twerp... I don't know what you did to Cordelia Chase before you ran off but she's one of us and I'm not going to let some little pipsqueak like you hurt her and get away with it!"  
  
Xander reached up calmly and jammed his thumbs into the nerve clusters at the base of the Jock's wrists, and applied pressure until his hands went dead. Then Xander slowly twisted them away from him until the Jock was wincing in pain. "This shirt cost me three hundred and twenty dollars. It's silk. My employer had it imported and tailored by a very nice old man from Spain. I liked him a lot, and he'd probably kill me if I let you stretch the fabric."  
  
He kept up the pressure until the football player dropped to one knee, "And for the record... I didn't do anything to Cordelia."  
  
"Did I hear my name?" Xander heard a familiar voice behind him, "And who's wearing silk?"  
  
"Oh damn." Xander moaned, "This is so not how I wanted to do this."  
  
He felt a hand slap his shoulder, "Hey you! Stop beating up our quarterback! He has a game tomorrow!"  
  
Xander let go of the jock and sighed, turning to look at Cordy. "Sorry, Cordy... I'll be careful not to hurt his hands."  
  
Cordelia stared at him, her hand coming up to cover her mouth in shock. "Oh my god... You can't... you're dead... you.... you died..."  
  
Xander smiled as nicely as he could, "No... I didn't."  
  
Her eyes rolled back in her head and Cordelia Chase fainted. Xander moved fast, catching her before she could hit the ground. "Damn. I really wanted this to be less public."  
  
He glared at the Jocks who took a step back, uncertain what was going on. "We'll settle this another time."  
  
Then he turned and strode toward the nurses office.  
  
*****  
  
"Is she going to be alright?" Xander asked nervously.  
  
The nurse glanced at him oddly, "Yes... we'll wake her up in a second..."  
  
The nurse got a small vial and opened it under Cordelia's nose. She instantly wrinkled up and then sneezed. "Gaaaakh! Get that pharmacy grade perfume out of my face!"  
  
Xander smirked, "Yeah... she's fine."  
  
Cordelia's eyes snapped open and she stared at Xander, "You're alive."  
  
Xander nodded. "Yes... I'm alive."  
  
He saw her eyes start to roll back again and he grabbed her, "Cordy! It's really me! I'm not dead, I'm not a..." he glanced sideways at the nurse, "you know... sunlight, remember! It's daytime."  
  
She came back slowly, staring at him. "You're... really you... but Buffy said..."  
  
"I know," He said gently, helping her up. "I heard... Come on, I'll explain it outside."  
  
They walked out, leaving a mildly confused Nurse behind them  
  
*****  
  
"So Buffy was wrong? Why that little..." Cordelia growled.  
  
"No. She was right... I think."  
  
"What?" Cordelia shrank away from him, her eyes fearful.  
  
"Relax. I'm alive, not undead or demon or whatever." Xander said, "I took a sword through my lung just after I left. I flatlined a couple times on the way to the hospital... I'm guessing that was enough to scare the hell out of Buffy and trigger her visions."  
  
"But... but... but..."  
  
Xander leaned back and glanced down at Cordy's ass. "And a very nice one you have too... but we should really stay on topic."  
  
Cordelia blushed red and glanced around to see if anyone else had noticed. "Cut that out!" She slapped him across the arm.  
  
"Ouch! Hey!"  
  
"So why didn't you call!? You let us all think you were dead!?"  
  
"Hey, don't blame me for that. I only found out about that a couple weeks ago... and I was on the road right after."  
  
"It only takes a couple minutes to call!"  
  
Xander nodded, "I know... and I'm sorry. But by then you guys had all thought I was gone for so long... I just wanted to stay gone for a little longer."  
  
"Why?" Cordelia asked, hurt in her voice and eyes.  
  
Xander hesitated, "It's... complicated. I just couldn't stay here after... well, after what happened."  
  
"What *did* happen!?" Cordelia asked, "There were only three people there... one was unconscious, and until now we thought that the other two were dead."  
  
Xander shook his head, "I don't want to talk about it, Cordy. Maybe I can later... but not right now."  
  
Cordelia opened her mouth to push harder, but stopped when she saw the look Xander gave her. "Ok... have you seen the others yet? Or better yet... have they seen you?"  
  
Xander shook his head.  
  
She grabbed his arm, "Well come on! They're in the library... let's go." Xander reluctantly let himself be dragged along to the library, and pulled inside by the Cheerleader.  
  
"Cordy... I...?" He tried to protest until he saw that everyone in the library had turned to stair at them in shock.  
  
"Xander..." Buffy whispered in shock.  
  
Willow just gasped, her eyes wide and her mouth a round circle.  
  
Oz merely raised his eyebrow and said, "Hmmm."  
  
"Good lord." Giles said, dropping a book to the table in surprise.  
  
*****  
  
"Hi guys..." Xander said weakly, "I'm... back?"  
  
Buffy shook her head, "You... you can't be. I saw..."  
  
"You saw me take six inches of cold steal in my left lung?"  
  
Buffy nodded dumbly.  
  
Xander nodded and reached up, unbuttoning his shirt down four buttons. He pealed the shirt away and exposed a scar that puckered on the left of his chest. "It happened."  
  
"But... but... you died."  
  
"That happened too," Xander said, "But I had some good doctors who managed to resuscitate."  
  
"Good lord." Giles said again.  
  
"I think we covered that Giles." Oz said with a small smile.  
  
Willow finally found her voice, and glared at Xander with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why didn't you call us!?"  
  
Xander bowed his head, "I'm sorry, Will... I just had to get away."  
  
"You... you didn't call..." She said, her voice laced with pain.  
  
Xander didn't say anything for a while. Finally he spoke, "No... I didn't."  
  
Willow took an unsteady step around the table and walked toward him. Xander stood his ground and waited, and she walked up to him until she was right in front of him. Suddenly her hand came up and slapped him hard across the face.  
  
"You didn't call!" She said accusingly.  
  
Xander flinched but didn't move. He could feel the pattern of red heat up on his cheek, but he just nodded. "I know, Will... I'm sorry."  
  
She bit her lower lip and Xander could see her teeth actually piercing her skin, then she suddenly lunged forward and grabbed him in a tight hug. "OmygodI'msogladtoseeyou! IthoughtyouweredeadandI'msogladtoseeyouXander!"  
  
Xander wrapped his arms around her and held her as she babbled into his shoulder, "I'm so sorry Will... I'm so sorry."  
  
They just stood there for a while, Xander holding his childhood friend as her talked herself out. He felt like a heel, but maintained his composure as he held the redhead tightly. Finally she pulled away and suddenly glanced around, embarrassed. He smiled at her and nodded, and she went back to her seat.  
  
"I guess I have some talking to do..."  
  
"You bet you do!" Cordelia snapped, "Like why you left, where you went, and... where did you get those clothes?"  
  
"Cordelia!" Giles snapped, but was interrupted by Buffy.  
  
"No, Giles... She's right... That's silk... and those pants are tailored... and are those italian shoes? How much did that outfit cost you!?"  
  
Xander glanced down, "Umm... let's see... twelve hundred... no wait... fifteen hundred dollars."  
  
Silence.  
  
Then an explosion.  
  
"What!?"  
  
"Good God!"  
  
"Did you rob a bank!?"  
  
Xander held up his hands, "Whoa... whoa... I didn't exactly pay for it myself, and no I didn't rob a bank. I got a job, and the company has a strict dress code..."  
  
"Strict!?" Giles choked, "fifteen hundred dollars is not strict, it's insane."  
  
"Looks good on him though." Cordelia observed as Buffy and Willow nodded.  
  
"Well... I work directly for the Boss," Xander explained, "and he likes to present a certain image."  
  
"Who's your boss? Bill Gates?"  
  
Xander choked. "Gates? Are you kidding me? That guy wears K-mart sweaters and running shoes. Man if Tony heard that I'd never live it down."  
  
"Tony? Tony who?" Willow asked, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"Tony Stark."  
  
Willow stared at Xander, her eyes widening and she started breathing hard. "Oh god... I need... to sit down."  
  
As she fell into her chair Buffy stared at her, "What? What is it?"  
  
Willow swallowed, "Tony Stark is one of the richest men in the world... Stark Enterprises manufactures... *everything*!"  
  
"Well... I wouldn't go that far." Xander said, "We do quite well in the tech market..."  
  
"Well? WELL?" Willow looked outraged, "Stark Industries sells virtually every computer approved for government use! The real computer technology, not the watered down stuff we get!"  
  
Giles rolled his eyes as the subject of computers came up and began to look very bored.  
  
Xander just shrugged, "We don't feel the need to enter into the civilian marketplace, Wills... Wouldn't be too many people who could afford even a low end Stark Industries system... Intel and Cyrix make a big deal about how much gold they have to use in their processors... if they had the slightest clue what kind of materials we used in ours they'd have coronaries."  
  
Willow just opened and closed her mouth in shock.  
  
"Ok," Giles interrupted, "Can we got on with the story then? Xander... why didn't you call?"  
  
Xander looked down at his shoes, "Look... guys, I'm sorry. I didn't know that you thought I was dead until I ran into Ms Pryce..."  
  
"Pryce? Linda Pryce?" Xander nodded, "Yeah... I met her with her Slayer in Boston a couple weeks ago."  
  
"Slayer?" Buffy looked up, "Another Slayer?"  
  
"Kendra's replacement, I presume?" Giles asked.  
  
Xander nodded, grinning. "Yeah.. A real spitfire too... You know how Kendra made Buffy look like a party girl?"  
  
Everyone nodded except Buffy, "Hey!"  
  
"Faith makes Buffy look like Kendra."  
  
Everyone looked shocked, except Buffy. "Hey!"  
  
Xander shrugged, "Faith is... a force of nature. She's something you have to see to believe."  
  
Giles shook his head, "Why didn't she call me to tell me about you?"  
  
Xander shrugged, "I'm not really sure... but she seemed worried about something."  
  
Giles removed his glasses and began wiping them rapidly. "I see..."  
  
"Well I don't!" Buffy growled. "Do you have any idea what you put me... us through!?"  
  
"Buffy... I... I had to get away."  
  
"Why? What happened!?"  
  
Xander sighed, "I'm really sorry, Buffy... but I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"What happed to Angel?" She asked, her voice suddenly soft and her eyes glistening.  
  
"He died a hero, Buff. He died a hero." Xander said, then turned and walked out.  
  
As he reached the door he could hear the Slayer sobbing behind him and it broke his heart, but he kept walking.  
  
***** 


	2. Chap 2

Title : School Daze, (K)night Job Author : Tenhawk  
  
********WARNING!********  
  
This story is NOT part of the Journeyverse continuum! This is the Sequel to 'Red & Gold'  
  
*********WARNING!********  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.  
  
Summary: Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you're hiding a secret from the Slayer.  
  
Warning : Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)  
  
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.  
  
*****  
  
The rest of the day past fairly quickly as Xander hopped from Class to class and pretty much ducked stares from whichever of the gang he was sharing the room with. By the end of the day he was pretty much happy to be breathing, let alone be done with school.  
  
He made it to the parking lot and had just unlocked his car when he was intercepted. "Xander Harris, you turn around right now!"  
  
Sighing he followed orders, "Hey Cordy."  
  
"You're not done explaining yet!" She growled at him as she approached, "There is still the matter of that 'love' note you left me."  
  
He smiled, remembering the note he had written up for Cordy days before the event and had never had the guts to give her. When he decided to leave it seemed like the perfect moment. Now, of course, he was going to pay for it. "Ummm about that..."  
  
Cordelia stepped up and kissed him. "It was sweet."  
  
While Xander was still registering that she backed off slightly and slapped him across the face. "In a perverted kinda way."  
  
"Ow!" Xander yelled as his hand ran up to his face, "That's twice I get slapped today!"  
  
"You deserve it." Xander rubbed his face as he reluctantly nodded. "Ok... fine. You get that one free."  
  
"Oh yeah? What's the next one gonna cost me?" She challenged him.  
  
Xander smirked at her, his eyes running over her body. "Dinner and Dancing?"  
  
She slapped him again.  
  
"Ow! Hey! What was that...." Xander's eyes widened, "Let me guess... your way of asking me out?"  
  
Cordelia snorted, "get real. You asked me out. That was my way of accepting."  
  
Xander rubbed both sides of his face, "Remind me not to ask you out to the Prom. You'd probably break my neck."  
  
"Like I'd go to the Prom with loser boy anyway."  
  
Xander wiggled his eyebrows, "And what makes me a loser?"  
  
Cordelia answered without thinking. "Duh. The way you dre.... oh... hmmm... you just are!"  
  
He rolled his eyes and opened the door to the car, "I've got to get home."  
  
"Why? Got a curfew?" Cordy smirked.  
  
"No. But I haven't unpacked my apartment yet and I need to get it done before tomorrow."  
  
"Apartment?" Her eyes widened, "You have your own apartment?"  
  
"Ah the perks of the job..." Xander smiled and slipped into the car. "I'll see you tomorrow..."  
  
"Wait!" Cordelia lunged at the car and Xander rolled down the window. "What's the address?"  
  
Xander sighed, "I'm not really set up for company..."  
  
"Address. NOW."  
  
He rolled his eyes, "Four Forty Two Terrace Rd."  
  
Her eyes widened. "That's in my neighborhood."  
  
He smiled. "I know."  
  
She leaned on the car, looking in at him, and mulled it over. "Isn't that the old Gothic place that overlooks the park?" "Yep."  
  
"Which apartment is yours?"  
  
"Studio on the top floor."  
  
She shook her head, a smile finally breaking through. "You really have come up in the world, haven't you?"  
  
Xander shrugged, "Not as much as you'd think."  
  
She looked a little confused, and Xander took the opportunity to make a break for it. "Look... I gotta go. I'll see you later."  
  
She pushed off the car and Xander backed out. "Sooner then you think."  
  
As he drove out of sight she turned around and marched back into the school, heading for the library.  
  
*****  
  
Xander had just finished unpacking what little he had in the way of stuff when the call came in from Tony.  
  
"Computer, put him up on the screen."  
  
The screen flashed to life, showing Tiny sitting behind his desk. "Hello, Xander. How was the first day back?"  
  
"About as expected." Xander said flatly.  
  
"That bad?"  
  
He just nodded.  
  
"Well, I'm sorry to hear it... but it was something you had to do." Tony paused, glancing to one side, "By the way I've sent a update to your computer... I want you to speak with the Government people tomorrow. They're coming up from their L.A. office to survey the sight... I understand that they've told the University that they're examining a potentially dangerous system of caves that might pose a geological problem to the campus."  
  
Xander nodded. "Makes sense. This area is riddled with caves."  
  
"Well, then someone has something on the ball over there... it's always good when the client has half a brain."  
  
Xander chuckled, "What's on the slate for tomorrow then?"  
  
"They'll be bringing the requirements for their installation... I'll have to have you forward them to me tomorrow night. Also they'll be looking for a couple places to work out of in the mean time."  
  
"Ok. No problem. Anything else?"  
  
"Not for now. How are you holding up?"  
  
"I'm doing ok, Tony." Xander said, "I'm not made of glass."  
  
"I remember." Tony grinned, "Just wanted to make sure."  
  
"Thanks for..." Xander stopped as the computer interrupted him.  
  
"Excuse me, Mr Harris... there are several... people... attempting to access this floor via the elevator."  
  
"What?" Xander asked, "hang on a second Tony... Computer, show me."  
  
The screen flickered and Xander groaned as he saw Oz, Cordy, Buffy, and Willow standing in the elevator, clearly aggravated over why it wasn't moving. "Put Tony back on."  
  
The screen flickered again, "Tony... I have to go. My friends decided to pay me a visit."  
  
Tony grinned, "Good. Have some fun... Just don't blow off work or school tomorrow."  
  
"I won't." Xander promised, "Computer... let them up."  
  
"Confirmed."  
  
"Bye, Xander. Have a good time."  
  
Xander shook his head, "I'll try... but more then likely I'm going to be interrogated mercilessly for hours."  
  
Tony chuckled, "Don't give them any company secrets."  
  
"Good Bye, Tony." Xander said firmly.  
  
"Bye." Tony grinned and closed the connection.  
  
Xander got up, "Screen off."  
  
As he walked toward the elevator the screen flickered off behind him. He just stepped up to the elevator doors and had firmly placed a smile on his face when the doors parted.  
  
"Hey guys, what's up?"  
  
*****  
  
Willow and Cordelia gaped as they walked into the loft, staring at the furnishings and electronics.  
  
"Xander!" Willow exclaimed, "How can you afford this?"  
  
"Nice pad, Dweeb boy." Cordy grinned, sinking into the leather couch.  
  
Xander shook his head as he stood there, a little helplessly. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Buffy looked at him seriously. "Can we talk?"  
  
Xander's heart clenched and his stomach knotted. He could refuse the others easily enough, but she was there. She had a right to know. He nodded silently. "Come out on the balcony."  
  
She nodded and followed him as he walked across the room to the huge octagonal window that over looked the park.  
  
"You guys relax... TV's got satellite service and the remote is on the end table..." Xander said as he led Buffy out.  
  
"Cool." Oz waved at him dismissively as the rocker grabbed the remote.  
  
Xander smiled and slid the octagonal window to one side and stepped out. Buffy stared at the off 'door' for a moment before following.  
  
*****  
  
"Ok, Buff... let's have it."  
  
"What?" She asked, her voice soft.  
  
Xander took a breath. "I decided to tell you whatever you want to know. You've got the right."  
  
"I had that right over three months ago."  
  
"I suppose." Xander said quietly, "But I wasn't ready. I couldn't stay."  
  
"Why?" She asked, half pouting as her voice clearly indicated that she thought she was to blame.  
  
"Because I couldn't." Xander said firmly. Buffy bit her lip and nodded, "Ok. What happened after I... wasn't around?"  
  
"Angelus was leaning over you when I came in the room, draining you." Xander said, his voice steady enough to surprise him. "So I tackled him... drove him off you. We struggled, and he was winning until he suddenly stopped fighting."  
  
"Angel?" She asked, her voice breathless.  
  
"Yes." He confirmed, "I almost staked him... then he spoke my name. I looked in his eyes... and just knew."  
  
"Angelus was gone."  
  
"Right." Xander said, "But it was too late. Far, far too late."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Acathela was opening."  
  
Buffy's hand slapped to her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. "Oh no."  
  
"Yes. The portal to hell was opening... Angel didn't know what happened... but then he told me that while you were fighting you threw him into the sword... and I remembered what Giles said."  
  
"Blood?"  
  
"Blood." Xander confirmed. "And then I told him what else Giles had said. That blood opened it and..."  
  
"Blood would close it." Buffy said softly, her arms dropping to her side.  
  
"And it did." Xander said, "He sacrificed himself to save the world... and you. Mostly you I think."  
  
She shook her head. "But... why did you leave?"  
  
"Why?" Xander laughed bitterly, "Why? Because when I talked to you before that I had worked up the nerve to lie my ass off. To tell you that Will said kick his ass. Instead I buckle and tell you about the soul spell, and almost get you killed and the world sucked into hell. I was a danger to you and everyone else... I had to leave."  
  
"Xander..." She whispered, her hand reaching out to him.  
  
Xander pulled away and leaned on the rail of the balcony, staring out at the park. "I had a decision to make. It was a hard call, and I screwed it up." She walked up behind him, "Xander... It wasn't your responsibility..."  
  
"Then whose was it?" Xander asked, his tone dripping in bitter anger. "Yours? You couldn't see past Angel to save your own life, the world be damned."  
  
"Xander!" Buffy drew back, shocked by the anger in his voice.  
  
"So now you know why I left."  
  
Buffy was silent for a second and Xander resisted the urge to look back at her. He was surprised when he felt her arms wrap around him from behind and pull him into a tight embrace.  
  
"You've saved my life more times then I really want to think about," Buffy said, her voice hesitant. "And I'm not really good at thanking people for help... I know this, and I guess i should really work on it... but you know I love you right?"  
  
Xander shuddered as the words struck him, feeling them like physical blows. He shook his head, "I would have given a lot to hear you say that a year ago."  
  
"Xander... I..."  
  
"I know..." he said gently, "As a friend. I know. But it doesn't change anything..."  
  
Buffy stammered, trying to find her voice as Xander broke free. "I have to go back inside and check on the others."  
  
She nodded, and stared after him as he stepped through the huge window/door and back into the apartment. When he was gone she let out a long breath and turned to look over the park.  
  
"Friend."  
  
*****  
  
Xander stepped inside to find a small riot going on.  
  
"What the hell!?"  
  
Willow turned to look at him. "Xander! Your place is haunted!"  
  
He shook his head, "What!?"  
  
"We sat down and Oz said something about TV and it turned on! We thought he just hit the button by accident but then he mentioned a show and it changed the channel to the show!"  
  
Xander nodded slowly, his mind trying to find an explanation that didn't include a computer AI that wasn't technically supposed to exist. "Then I went to the bathroom and the lights came on! The toilet flushed before I could do it myself... and that's really, really freaky!" Cordelia shuddered.  
  
Xander held up his hand, "One second. I'll be right back."  
  
The three of them watched as Xander vanished into his bedroom.  
  
"Huh." Oz said quietly as he turned back to the TV.  
  
*****  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Xander hissed angrily.  
  
"My job." The computer replied, "I take pride in my work... unlike some people I might mention...."  
  
"Listen to me you misbegotten son of a toaster oven, are you *trying* to blow my cover!?" Xander flailed his arms in angry gestures as he walked around the room, "If you do something like this again I'm going to reprogram you with a dull Axe! Do you get me!?"  
  
The computer mumbled something.  
  
"I didn't hear that!"  
  
"I understand... sir."  
  
"Good." Xander rolled his eyes, "jesus... what if one of them had mentioned weapons? Were you going to open up the armory for them?"  
  
"Oh please." The computer rejoined, "I enjoy my job, but I'm not stuck with your IQ. I wouldn't let them into anything restricted..."  
  
"Well thank heaven for small favors." Xander muttered. "Great... now I'm probably going to have to talk Willow out of doing an exorcism."  
  
A pause. "A what?"  
  
"You heard me. She's going to want to exorcize the evil spirit that flushed the toilet and turned on the TV."  
  
"That might be interesting... I've never witnessed one of those before."  
  
Xander rolled his eyes, "Do you have access to the web?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Look up the ritual there, the one that a witch does... I do NOT want that crap in my apartment... it *stinks*."  
  
"Oh very well..." The computer sounded disappointed.  
  
Xander took a deep breath. "No more favors for visitors... ok?"  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Xander turned and left the room, heading back to his friends.  
  
When the door closed behind him the computer spoke again. "Thank... me?"  
  
*****  
  
Later  
  
"No exorcism?" Willow asked, pouting at him.  
  
"No exorcism." Xander said firmly. "If I see a ghost, I'll call you."  
  
"You sure? I mean, I have the spell components and stuff all ready at home..."  
  
"I'm sure, Will..." Xander looked around, "Where's Buffy?"  
  
Willow looked around. "I don't know?"  
  
Cordy looked up from where she was sitting, looking bored. "She's still on the balcony."  
  
Xander looked toward the balcony and sighed, "I'll be right back."  
  
"No..." Willow stopped him, "I'll go."  
  
Xander nodded and turned back to the other two, stealing occasional glances out at the balcony.  
  
*****  
  
"Buffy?" Willow stepped out, sliding the glass shut behind her.  
  
"He hates me."  
  
Willow looked around for her friend, her vision slowly adjusting to the dark. "Who?"  
  
"Xander." Buffy said, standing against the rail and staring out at the park. "Xander hates me."  
  
Willow didn't say anything for a minute. "Did he say that?"  
  
She caught a slight motion of Buffy's head in the darkness.  
  
"No. But it was still there."  
  
"I don't think Xander can hate you, Buffy." Willow said quietly as she stepped up beside her friend.  
  
"He blames me. That's why he left."  
  
"Blames you for what?"  
  
Buffy laughed bitterly, "what doesn't he blame me for?"  
  
"You're not making much sense, Buffy..."  
  
"For not staking Angelus. For not being strong when I had to be. For risking the world so I... I could be happy."  
  
"Did he say this?"  
  
"No..." Buffy whispered. "He said it was his fault."  
  
Willow nodded, "Now that sounds like Xander."  
  
"But its not what he meant." Buffy said softly. "It can't be what he meant."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because it wasn't his fault... How could he not see that?"  
  
"He's Xander." Willow said simply. "He's blind as a bat to things that are under his nose... remember?"  
  
Buffy let out a breathy little laugh that wasn't quite devoid of humor. "I told him I loved him."  
  
"What!?" Willow's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"I don't know why... it just came out."  
  
"D... do you?"  
  
"Love him? Of course." Willow shook her head, "I mean... are you...?"  
  
"In love? I don't know..." Buffy admitted. "But... it hurt when he assumed that I meant it in a friends kinda way..."  
  
Willow took a breath, "That sounds... ominous..."  
  
Buffy glanced over at her friend, her eyebrow arcing. "Ominous?"  
  
Willow smiled at her, a crooked smile that seemed almost sheepish. "I didn't think that I should say 'Hellmouthy'."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Is it that far out?"  
  
"After the dance?"  
  
Buffy winced. "Yeah... maybe you've got a point."  
  
"If anyone can forgive you... it would be Xander. But I think you'd better figure it out first... and Fast. Cordy is already marking her territory, you know?"  
  
Buffy laughed. "I think I'm just happy to see him again, Will. Forget about what I just said, k?"  
  
Willow looked at her uncertainly. "K." She said finally.  
  
"Come on..." Buffy turned, pulling Willow with her, "Let's go inside."  
  
*****  
  
When the two girls stepped back into the room the found Xander and Cordy sitting together on the couch while Oz sat in a leather recliner, all watching the huge TV.  
  
Willow shot Buffy a look, but Buffy just ignored it.  
  
Xander glanced over at them, his face hopeful. "Everything alright?"  
  
Buffy forced a smile. "Sure. I'm fine."  
  
He nodded slowly, "Ok..."  
  
"Hey." Oz smiled as Willow walked up to him and he drew her down into the chair with him. "We're watching True Lies."  
  
"Ohhh, I love this movie!" Willow squealed a little as Oz pulled her into his lap.  
  
Xander grinned as he saw his friend's happy face. "Yeah... it's pretty good... hey, you know... that's odd."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know Arnie's daughter?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"She looks a lot like the second Slayer I told you about, Faith."  
  
Cordy glared at him, "Stop checking out the jail bait Xander."  
  
Xander rolled his eyes, "hey, I'm not eighteen yet... and this movie was made a few years ago. She... and Faith, are nicely grown up now."  
  
Cordy slapped his shoulder.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Perv."  
  
Xander mock glared at Cordelia, "Just settle down and watch the movie."  
  
She glared right back, "I would if you'd stop drooling over my dress!"  
  
Xander smirked and let his eyes rove lower, "It's not your dress I'm drooling over."  
  
*Smack*  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Perv!"  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes as she sat down on the other side of Xander, "Get a room. Some of us are watching the movie."  
  
Cordelia glared at her, her eyes filling with outrage. "A room? With dweeb boy? Bite your tongue!"  
  
Buffy smirked back at her, "While you're biting his?"  
  
"Listen up, you bottle blond..." Cordy began.  
  
"Whoa! Whoa!" Xander put his hands up, obscuring their view of each other. "Despite all my personal fantasies that start like this I really don't want you fighting over me... and I mean that in a physical way, you two are likely to kill me just cause I'm sitting between you!"  
  
*Smack!*  
  
*Smack!*  
  
"OW!" Xander yelled as he caught slaps from both sides.  
  
"Perv." Both girls said at once.  
  
Xander crossed his arms and sunk down into the leather couch. "That's it. I'm moving and not telling either of you where I live."  
  
***** 


	3. Chap 3

Title : School Daze, (K)night Job Author : Tenhawk  
  
********WARNING!********  
  
This story is NOT part of the Journeyverse continuum! This is the Sequel to 'Red & Gold'  
  
*********WARNING!********  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.  
  
Summary: Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you're hiding a secret from the Slayer.  
  
Warning : Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)  
  
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.  
  
Check my Yahoo group for the latest parts to this and all other stories by me, including the Journeyverse series.  
  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Journeyverse  
  
*****  
  
Xander waved for the twentieth time as the elevator doors shut, then he stumbled back and collapsed onto the couch. "Damn I hurt."  
  
"Then you probably shouldn't have kept baiting them like that."  
  
"Shut up, you." Xander muttered as he glanced at the TV. "Show me the information on the meeting tomorrow."  
  
The computer obligingly put the schedule up on the screen.  
  
"Margaret Walsh, huh?" Xander said as he glanced at it. "We have a profile on her?"  
  
The computer was silent for a moment, then put the relevant file on the screen.  
  
"A geneticist? Degree's in abnormal psychology and basic cybernetics? What the hell kind of combination is that?"  
  
"Unusual, but not entirely unprecedented."  
  
Xander rolled his eyes, "Not everyone is Tony Stark. Weird... I wonder why they're sending a labcoat to talk construction..."  
  
"Unknown."  
  
"She's pretty good by this... Why didn't Tony hire her?"  
  
"She didn't pass the psych test."  
  
"Oh?" Xander glanced up, interested. "How so?"  
  
"She was diagnosed with mild megalomanic tendencies and a very deep rooted belief that the ends justify the means."  
  
"Great. Perfect candidate for a government employee. What agency does she work for?"  
  
"Unknown. That information is unavailable in the files we were provided."  
  
"Can you find it in any files we weren't provided?"  
  
"Are you asking me to hack into government networks?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Xander could have sworn he *heard* a smile when the computer spoke again. "Good. I already did. Here's the data."  
  
Xander examined the screen. "SHIELD? Never heard of it."  
  
"They are an all purpose agency that protects national security. They specialize in extreme cases."  
  
"Lovely." Xander yawned. "Ok, I'm going to get some sleep... let me be until seven tomorrow, k?"  
  
"Very well."  
  
Xander stumbled into his room, calling for the computer to shut off the lights.  
  
*****  
  
The next day passed fairly quickly and Xander found himself driving to the university after an uneventful day. He parked the Impala and made his way into the University, quickly finding his way to Professor Walsh's office.  
  
"Hello?" "Yes?" A blond man looked up from a desk. "Can I help you?"  
  
"I'm looking for Margaret Walsh."  
  
The man looked at him suspiciously, "Who may I say is asking?"  
  
"Alexander Harris."  
  
The man blinked. Then he shook his head and got up, heading into an office to the rear.  
  
A few moments later he reappeared along with a woman that Xander recognized from her bio pic. Margaret Walsh.  
  
"Doctor Walsh. Good to meet you." Xander said, extending his hand.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked, ignoring his hand.  
  
Xander glanced at the blond man, "I'm Alexander Harris... I believe that you're expecting me."  
  
"You're Harris?" She asked coldly.  
  
"That's what my Stark Industries ID says."  
  
"I'd like to see that, if you don't mind." The blond extended his hand.  
  
"And you are?" Xander looked at him, sizing the blond up. Fit... Too fit maybe...  
  
"This is Riley Finn... do as he asks."  
  
Xander nodded and handed over his ID.  
  
Finn looked it over, "It looks legitimate..."  
  
"How old are you?" Walsh looked at him.  
  
"Old enough." Xander said, taking back his ID. "Look. I'm here to get the requirements for the installation you want built. If you have time I'd also like to talk about security concerns..."  
  
"We give Stark Enterprises a three quarter of a BILLION dollar deal and they send us... a child!?"  
  
Xander stayed calm, having expected the reaction. "Ma'am, I've got more field experience then this howdy doody wannabe over here," He said, jerking a thumb at Riley, "What is he anyway? Marine? Ranger?"  
  
"Marine." She responded automatically before thinking. "How did...?" Xander just smiled as he saw Riley stiffen. "Long story, and I'm not telling it to you anyway. Down to business, shall we?"  
  
Reluctantly, Walsh nodded. "Fine. These are the schematics."  
  
Xander frowned, "Schematics? I was told that you would be presenting me with the requirements for the installations... not an actual design."  
  
"I changed my mind."  
  
"Ma'am, you do realize that Stark Enterprises has some of the best military architects on the planet? We are more the qualified to..."  
  
"These schematics will do." She said firmly.  
  
Xander sighed and pocketed the CD. "Fine. You understand that the contract has already been signed and you have no recourse to reclaim any of our fee?"  
  
She nodded. "I do."  
  
"Good." Xander said, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get some homework done before the sun goes down."  
  
Xander turned and left, leaving Walsh and Finn to stare at each other as a single thought passed through both minds.  
  
Homework?  
  
*****  
  
That Night  
  
"Hey Buff!" Xander called as he slid into the library.  
  
"Hi Xander..." Buffy said quietly.  
  
Xander glanced over at Giles, "heya G-man. Anything hellmouthy going on?"  
  
Giles sputtered, and wiped his glasses. "Would you cease calling me that infernal nickname?"  
  
"Sure." Xander said easily, "Which infernal nickname would you like? Jeeves? Rupes? Ruperman?"  
  
Giles sat down at the table, having finally decided to ignore Xander. "As I was saying Buffy... there doesn't seem to be anything critical on the horizon for now... It should be a quiet patrol."  
  
"Wow." Xander said, "That's a switch... when did quiet and patrol become words you could legally put together?"  
  
"About the same time you left, actually..." Giles said, a slight grin tugging at his lips.  
  
Xander's eyes widened. "My god... was I just zinged by the brit man?"  
  
Buffy smiled and nodded, "Yep. And it was a three pointer at least.... Though I think that 'Ruperman' has kept you on top..."  
  
Xander chuckled while Giles stifled a groan. "Get out. Go. Patrol. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Buffy."  
  
Xander hopped up, "Well, you heard the man. Let's go."  
  
Buffy looked at him oddly, "You sure you want to come along?"  
  
"Sure." Xander grinned, as he extended his arm to her. "I haven't had my fix of Buffy-time in months... went through withdrawal something fierce."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes, looping her arm in his. "Shouldn't you be... I don't know, in a broom closet with Cordy?"  
  
Xander shrugged, "We have a date on Friday... but until then I think we've cooled things off..."  
  
"A date?" Buffy asked, surprised. "As in actually in public?"  
  
Xander smirked, "Sure... why? You think I'll ruin her rep?"  
  
"Actually I was more worried about yours." Buffy smirked right back.  
  
The two of them chuckled as they made their way out of the school and toward the closest graveyard.  
  
*****  
  
"So, how was your summer?" Xander asked as they strolled through the gravestones.  
  
Buffy shrugged, "Boring, sad, tiresome, sad, dull..."  
  
"And sad?" Xander asked with a sad smile of his own.  
  
"Yeah." She said, her voice tinged with regret. "How'd you guess?"  
  
"Spotted a pattern."  
  
They were about to say something more when a voice brought their attention back to the present.  
  
"Well, well, ain't this cute."  
  
Buffy looked annoyed as she turned towards the voice. "Rude much? We were having a private conversation....."  
  
She trailed off as she realized that there were over a dozen vampires behind her, then she heard more approach from the other side.  
  
"What's this? A convention?" Xander asked as he unbuttoned the top two buttons on his jacket.  
  
"Lets say that we're getting a little tired of the Slayer killing us off one by one?"  
  
"So your going to let me kill you off all at once?" Buffy asked, hiding her nerves, "Isn't that nice of you..."  
  
The lead vampire growled, "get them!"  
  
Buffy and Xander instantly dropped into fighting stances, Xander easily sliding his pistol from under his jacket.  
  
Buffy charged forward to meet the vampires as Xander spun around and opened fire on those attacking from the rear.  
  
*****  
  
Buffy's stake cleared her pocket as she reached the first Vampire, and she wasted no time in removing that obstacle from her path. Her eyes had focused on the apparent leader of the group as she flew through the first two vampires like a knife through butter.  
  
Twin columns of dust were scattered by the wind of her passage as she met the next one, who intercepted her thrust, turning the stake aside and struck out with a jab of his own. Buffy rocked back as she felt the vampire's fist split her lip, then fell into a crouch and spun around. Her extended foot swept two vamps from their feet, and she staked one of them instantly before powering her way up into a jump.  
  
Three vamps stared, dumbfounded, as the petite blond flipped over their heads and landed behind them.  
  
Buffy whipped out another stake in mid air, slamming both hands back as she landed, and dusted two more undead idiots. She grinned at the look of shock on the leaders face as she came at him, then frowned as she realized it wasn't directed at her.  
  
***** Xander fell into a crouch as he spun around, resting one knee on the damp ground and shifting his gun into a two handed grip. He actually smiled tightly as he noted the tight group that the vampires were standing in.  
  
He almost pitied them as he opened fire.  
  
Almost.  
  
The first four took the strikes in the midsections, and were kicked off their feet and thrown back into their comrades. The shocked vampires fell to the ground, slammed their by their comrades, and then were covered in the dust of their previously undead, and now simply dead, allies.  
  
"What the hell!?"  
  
"Shit!"  
  
"What was that!?"  
  
Xander just kept firing, not giving the vamps a chance to run, let alone regroup. As he cleared the last of them that had approached from behind a barely audible whine from the gun caused him to frown.  
  
Ammo's running low.  
  
He straightened from his crouch and spun around, in time to see Buffy flip easily over three vamps, then stake two of them. He smiled, seeing that she was almost to the leader, as was obviously her intention. Then he frowned as he saw that she had left two of the vampires alive behind her.  
  
Calmly, Xander lifted the Plasma pistol and popped two rounds off, one for each vamp. As they were incinerated he turned his gaze to those remaining vampires who were standing on the other side of Buffy.  
  
*****  
  
Confused, Buffy risked a glance over her shoulder to see Xander standing calmly behind her, slipping a strange looking gun under his jacket. She blinked twice, then was forced to turn her attention back to the fight as her slayer's hearing picked up a vamp charging her.  
  
She blocked his fist before she even turned to look at him, then grinned at the shock on his face. "Tsk tsk... you should never try to sneak up on a Slayer... It pisses us off."  
  
Then she stiff armed hin in the chest, driving him back two feet and cracking his ribs. Before he could react she slid her stake smoothly into his heart, and pulled it out. "See?"  
  
His mouth worked once or twice before he crumbled into dust, but no noise was made.  
  
Buffy straightened and looked at the three remaining vampires, who were still standing at shocked attention and trying to figure out how they lost twenty of their brethren in less then forty five seconds. "So... what was that you were saying before?"  
  
The leader fell back a couple steps as the Slayer approached him. "I... well... ummm... I suppose live and let live is out of the question?"  
  
Buffy actually laughed, and heard a dry chuckle come from Xander behind her. She shook her head, grinning. "Yeah. I'm afraid so."  
  
The vampire swallowed. "Shit."  
  
He watched wide eyed as the boy joined the Slayer, a smirk on his face.  
  
"Well... at least his realistic about it, Buff..."  
  
She shrugged, "What's your point?"  
  
"At least make it fast."  
  
"Sure. Why not?" She hefted the stake in her right hand, the suddenly whipped it at the lead vamp.  
  
He felt a pressure in his chest and looked down in time to see the crumble of dust start to spread outward from his chest where the wooden stake was embedded. The only thing that came to his mind was a repeat. "Shit."  
  
As their leader crumbled the other two looked at each other, a combination of shock and terror on their faces. In that one instant a dozen thoughts passed between them, ranging from Run all the way to their final decision. Fight.  
  
They split up and charged the Slayer and the boy, game faces on and fangs glistening in the moonlight.  
  
Buffy and Xander met them together, blocking the first blows and delivering their own in response.  
  
Buffy drove her vamp up on his toes as her fist sunk into the creatures sternum, then she stepped back and pivoted, bringing her heel up and smashing his face hard. As the vamp went down she spared a glance to make sure Xander was alright.  
  
Xander had intercepted the vampires first blow, and given a tug that brought the vamp off balance. As the creature swept past him, Xander twisted the arm and jerked it back. He winced as he heard an audible pop as the vamps arm was dislocated. The vampire screamed in pain as Xander lashing out with a heavy kick that broke its kneecap, and sent it sprawling to the ground.  
  
Buffy half smiled, then turned back to her own vamp, her stake flashing down in a stroke that ended its undead existence. When he got back up she turned and saw Xander do the same, then return the stake to a pocket she hadn't know he had.  
  
"Nice." She complimented him.  
  
Xander shrugged, "I picked up a little Akido over the summer."  
  
"And the gun?"  
  
Xander's face clearly said 'what gun', but Buffy glared him down. Finally he chuckled and nodded. "Did I forget to mention that I work in Stark Enterprises Security division?"  
  
Buffy shook her head and growled at him as they started to walk out of the graveyard. "How come it works on Vamps?"  
  
"Plasma pistol."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Xander sighed, remembering Jim's explanation when he had much the same response. "It takes in air from around you, superheats it with an electrical charge, then it bottles it up with some kind of magnetic field... After that it shoots it out... presto, crispy critters."  
  
Buffy stared at him, then shook her head again. "Never mind. I should have known better then to ask."  
  
Xander grinned, "probably."  
  
"You do know that Giles and Willow are going to want details though... when I tell them." She grinned, looking at him slyly.  
  
Xander groaned, "God save me. Those two could bore a vamp to death..."  
  
"Welllll....." She said, "I guess I could be persuaded not to say anything..."  
  
"Oh?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her, "And what will this cost me?"  
  
She suddenly moved ahead of him and Xander's eyes were drawn lower until he was fascinated by the sway of her hips. "Oh, I'll think of something..."  
  
Xander shook his head, trying vainly to clear it as he followed Buffy, walking her home.  
  
***** The two of them walked side by side until Buffy's place came into sight, and they stopped at the walkway.  
  
Xander shifted a little, looking uncomfortable. "It's been fun..."  
  
"Oh yeah." Buffy rolled her eyes, "Nothing like a night of killing and maiming..."  
  
"Hey, we didn't maim anything..." He grinned.  
  
"I stand corrected."  
  
"Anyway," Xander nodded his head up the walk, "I'll see you tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah..." Buffy said, not moving.  
  
Xander hesitantly reached out, his hand almost cupping her cheek when a ragged voice came out of the darkness.  
  
"Buffy...."  
  
They both turned in shock.  
  
"Angel!?" Buffy practically screamed as she saw his naked and battered form stagger from the darkness and fall onto his face.  
  
***** 


	4. Chap 4

Title : School Daze, (K)night Job Author : Tenhawk  
  
********WARNING!********  
  
This story is NOT part of the Journeyverse continuum! This is the Sequel to 'Red & Gold'  
  
*********WARNING!********  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.  
  
Summary: Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you're hiding a secret from the Slayer.  
  
Warning : Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)  
  
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.  
  
Check my Yahoo group for the latest parts to this and all other stories by me, including the Journeyverse series.  
  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Journeyverse  
  
*****  
  
"Angel!?"  
  
Xander's heart jumped as he saw Angel stumble, falling to one knee. He reacted instinctively, Lunging forward and catching the vampire. Buffy was at his side instantly and between them they helped the obviously hurt vampire up.  
  
"Christ." Xander said, "What happened, Deadboy?"  
  
Angel glowered at him, but didn't have the energy to keep it up. "I... don't know..."  
  
Buffy glared at Xander, "You said he was dead!"  
  
Xander looked at her helplessly, "I thought he was! He walked into that damned portal... I saw it myself!"  
  
Buffy looked away, then down at Angel. "Come on... we have to get him inside."  
  
"Where? Your place?" Xander asked incredulously, "Jesus... Your mom already thinks he's a stalker... you really think carrying him in there naked as a jaybird is a good idea?" "Well what should we do!?" She growled at him.  
  
Xander grimaced, "Hold him for a second."  
  
Then he let go and stripped off his jacket, wrapping it around Angel. "Jesus I wished this was a little longer..."  
  
Buffy looked at him, a touch of a smile playing at her lips.  
  
"No. I am NOT giving him my pants." Xander said, with almost a laugh. "Come on... let's get him to my apartment."  
  
"Your place!?" Buffy asked incredulously.  
  
"Where else? You want to stash him at the mansion with god knows what has moved in there?"  
  
Buffy nodded and hefted Angel as Xander moved back in on the other side and took up the weakened vampires other side. "Let's go."  
  
"No." Xander said, "I'll take him. You go to a butchers or something and get some blood."  
  
"What? I'm not leaving him. You do that."  
  
Xander shook his head, "My security system is on. You can't get into the apartment without me. I'll get him there safe. I promise you."  
  
Buffy hesitated, but finally gave in. "Ok."  
  
*****  
  
Xander struggled into his elevator, rummaging through his pocket fir the key.  
  
Angel just stared at him from the corner of the elevator. "What's the deal with you and Buffy?"  
  
Xander turned the key and felt the elevator start moving, then he looked at Angel. "Nothing. No deal."  
  
"Didn't look like that."  
  
Xander sighed. "Look Deadboy. I just got back to town myself, ok? I left the same night you did."  
  
Angel blinked. "Why?"  
  
"I had my reasons." Xander said coldly as the elevator doors opened up on his apartment. "Come on." He helped the weakened vampire into his place, leading him straight into the spare bedroom. "Here. The bed should be comfortable..."  
  
Angel collapsed onto the bed, his eyes sweeping over the room tiredly. "Windows..."  
  
Xander glanced up and cursed as he noted the lovely eastern view window. "I'll fix that. Just rest."  
  
Angel nodded and laid back as Xander headed out.  
  
*****  
  
"Computer," Xander said from his room, behind a locked door. "Darken the windows. All of them."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"My new houseguest is a vampire. He and sunlight don't mix well."  
  
The computer was silent for a short period. "Is this wise?"  
  
"Probably not." Xander replied, "But he's one of the good guys. So do it. I want the windows black."  
  
"Confirmed." The computer responded as it began diverting a slight electrical current to all the windows in the apartment, rendering them completely opaque.  
  
"Good... and keep your voice down. Until I figure out what's going on there's no reason to let him know anything more then he has to."  
  
"Confirmed." the computer repeated at a lower volume, then it spoke again. "The young lady named Buffy is in the elevator."  
  
"Let her up."  
  
*****  
  
"Where is he?" Buffy asked, concerned.  
  
"In the spare bedroom." Xander gestured, "Go on in..."  
  
Buffy nodded gratefully and followed his gesture. She went in and quietly closed the door behind her. "Angel?"  
  
His voice was weak when he spoke. "Buffy?"  
  
"It's me." She said softly as she walked over to him. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Weak..." he said, "But... better."  
  
"I brought you some... well..."  
  
Angel chuckled weakly. "Blood?"  
  
"Yeah..." She said softly. "Xander's idea."  
  
Angel accepted the plastic tub of pigs blood from her and looked at it, but didn't move to drink. "Are you and Xander....?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You seemed... close when I... found you."  
  
"What?" Her eyes widened, "No... no, I... we... aren't."  
  
Angel nodded, uncertain what to say. He still didn't move to drink the blood.  
  
"You should drink..."  
  
"I don't want you to see me... like that."  
  
Buffy sighed, but nodded. "Alright. I'll be just outside..."  
  
*****  
  
Xander was sitting in front of the tv staring at a blank screen when she came out. "How is he?"  
  
Buffy shrugged, "I don't know."  
  
"Does he know what happened to him?"  
  
"He hasn't said..."  
  
Xander just nodded.  
  
"Xander..." Buffy hesitated, "I want to thank you."  
  
"For what?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"I know that you don't like Angel... and this is your apartment..."  
  
"Deadboy and I may have some problems to work out, but I don't think that leaving him in the middle of the street would be a really great option. He did save the world, Buffy."  
  
Buffy was silent for a while, slowly nodding as she just thought to herself. Xander's changed so much...  
  
She was mulling over what that meant when she heard a noise from the spare room. "I'll be back in a little bit."  
  
Xander nodded and watched her disappear into the room.  
  
*****  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
Angel looked better this time, the pigs blood having done a lot to rejuvenating the vampire's sunken features. "I'm here."  
  
He shivered, as if a chill had passed over him, something Buffy had never seen him do before. "Cold."  
  
Buffy glanced around, "I can turn up the heat."  
  
He shook his head, "Not that kind... Inside... My skin... It's... strange not feeling the fires."  
  
"Fires?" She asked, confused.  
  
"Hellfires." He said as he closed his eyes.  
  
Buffy waited, barely breathing, for him to say something more until she realized that he had fallen asleep. "Oh Angel..." She breathed, "What happened to you?"  
  
*****  
  
When Buffy walked back out into the living room, Xander was talking on the phone.  
  
"No... No, She's fine, Mrs S. Just a little mishap on patrol, nothing big... No, nothing like that. I'll have her home soon. I promise. Yes... It's good to talk to you too... I know, I'm sorry, I should have dropped by... I will. Ok, bye."  
  
Xander hung up and Buffy looked at him with her hands on her hips. He shrugged, "I didn't want your mom to worry... or ground you."  
  
She rolled her eyes but smiled, "Thanks. Did you... uh?"  
  
"Tell her about Angel?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"No." Xander shook his head, "That's your place, not mine. But you're going to have to tell the gang soon, or there'll be hell to pay."  
  
Buffy swallowed, then nodded. "Giles is going to freak."  
  
Xander nodded, "Angel did torture him."  
  
"It was Angelus." Buffy said defensively.  
  
"You really think that there is much of a difference from Giles' point of view?"  
  
Buffy looked down. "No."  
  
"I didn't think so." Xander said quietly. "It'll be a lot better in the long run if you tell them... cause if they find out on their own..."  
  
Xander let the comment hang there between them until Buffy nodded.  
  
"Ok. I'll do it." She said, her voice surprisingly firm.  
  
"When?"  
  
She slumped. "Tomorrow?"  
  
He smiled, "Good idea. In the meanwhile, come on... I'll give you a lift home."  
  
Reluctantly Buffy allowed herself to be led from the apartment.  
  
*****  
  
At Buffy's place Xander parked the car and got out, causing Buffy to frown at him as she got out the other side. "You don't have to walk me to the door."  
  
Xander smiled a little sheepishly, "Yeah... I kinda do."  
  
"What?"  
  
At that point the door to the house opened and Joyce stuck her head out. "Is that you Xander?"  
  
"Yeah, it's us..." Xander smiled at Buffy, "Your mom invited me in for a snack when I called her up."  
  
"Oh." Buffy said, suddenly looking embarrassed.  
  
Xander didn't notice, he just started up the walk, then have turned. "You coming?"  
  
Buffy shook her mind clear and followed him up into the house.  
  
*****  
  
A few minutes later found them sitting around the Summer's kitchen table, along with Joyce and Dawn.  
  
"You scared us all very badly, young man." Joyce said sternly as she set a tray of cakes on the table alongside a large pitcher of milk.  
  
"I'm sorry about that, Mrs S..." Xander said sincerely, "I really didn't know you guys thought I was dead though..."  
  
"That's no excuse." She replied as she took her own seat, "You should still have let us know how you were doing... You're like family here, Xander."  
  
"Yeah." Dawn glared at him accusingly.  
  
Xander smiled slightly, "It won't happen again... ok?"  
  
Joyce relaxed and smiled back, "It had better not."  
  
"Yeah." Dawn said smugly, or as smugly as possible for someone who was trying to cram an entire cake into her mouth.  
  
Xander winced, remembering a time when he would have been racing her to see who could cram the most in the fastest. He sighed silently and took a small bite of his own cake.  
  
Joyce, however, noticed. "Xander? Don't you like them?"  
  
He looked surprised, "They're great... why?"  
  
"You're usually... more enthusiastic when you eat." She smiled at him.  
  
He groaned, then mumbled something that she couldn't hear.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Buffy grinned at him. "You're kidding!?"  
  
He shook his head, staring at the table.  
  
"What?" Joyce asked again.  
  
Buffy grinned wider, "He said that he had to take three weeks of etiquette classes over the summer."  
  
"You're kidding!?" Joyce said, surprised when Xander shook his head. "Well, good for you."  
  
"What's Etiquette?" Dawn asked curiously, the word sounded familiar but she couldn't place it.  
  
Joyce looked at the crumbs on her chin and frowned at her sternly. "Something you sorely need, young lady. Etiquette means good manners."  
  
"Oh." Dawn said, her eyes widening. "Oh... Jeeze Xander, I'm so sorry... That sucks."  
  
Xander chuckled, "It comes with the job, Dawn Patrol."  
  
"Job? You got a job?" Joyce looked at him, "Buffy didn't mention that."  
  
"Forgot." She said, around a bite of her own cake.  
  
Joyce glared at her then turned back to Xander, "I don't suppose you could teach my daughters some of those lessons?"  
  
Xander chuckled, "Try to pound something into a Summers girl? I don't think I've got the skills."  
  
Dawn and Buffy glared at him while Joyce laughed.  
  
"So, tell me about your job..." Joyce said.  
  
Xander shrugged and nodded, "I'm a security consultant for Stark Enterprises."  
  
Her eyes widened, "You know Tony Stark?"  
  
He nodded, "I ran into him just after I left... Nice guy."  
  
"He's one of the country's foremost Art patrons..." Joyce said, "He's put more money into the industry then the government."  
  
Xander nodded, "Sounds like Tony... He's not tight with cash."  
  
"How rich is this guy?" Dawn asked curiously.  
  
Joyce glanced at her, "Tony Stark is personally worth Billions. I have no idea how much the company is worth."  
  
Xander caught himself before answering, instead opting to pour himself some more milk.  
  
"Wow." Buffy said, "I mean... Willow told me he was rich... but... wow."  
  
Xander chuckled, "Tony is what you would call a wow worthy guy. He built the entire company from the ground up, Stark Enterprises Medical Division alone is calculated in the tens of billions."  
  
"How'd you meet this guy?"  
  
Xander shifted uncomfortably. "I was in Vegas, just bumming around when I literally ran into him... knocked him off his feet."  
  
"You knocked Tony Stark off his feet!?" Joyce said, half laughing and half scandalized.  
  
Xander chuckled. "Yeah... got myself roughed up by his security team too. But Tony was a good guy and knew that it was an accident, so he let me go."  
  
"Well... if he let you go, then how come you got a job with him?"  
  
Xander debated internally whether to tell them or not, but finally decided that it wasn't going to hurt. "Well... This isn't to be gossiped about, but as I was walking off some terrorist hit his limo with an anti- tank weapon... If he hadn't had it armored tighter then a battle tank he'd be dead."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I went into the limo and pulled him out." Xander said with a 'what do you think happened' sort of tone.  
  
"You what!?" Buffy asked, aghast. "How could you risk your life like that?"  
  
"He was going to die." Xander said sternly. "Anyway... I pulled his security people out too... and he was impressed I guess."  
  
Xander had about decided to leave out the part with the sword when Buffy pierced him with a glare. "How exactly did you wind up in the hospital then?"  
  
He flinched, "The terrorists didn't want to give up... so they came after us. Jim, that's Tony's head security guy, and I held them off but one of them got close enough to take a swipe at Tony..."  
  
"And you got in front of it!?"  
  
Xander nodded.  
  
A shocked silence floated around the table until finally Joyce spoke.  
  
"That was a very brave thing to do, Xander..." "Yeah!" Dawn said, grinning.  
  
Buffy didn't say anything, she just sat with there a churning lump in her stomach.  
  
*****  
  
Xander yawned and stretched as he stepped off the elevator and back into his apartment. He was mildly surprised to see Angel standing in the middle of the living room.  
  
"Hey Deadboy."  
  
He smiled as the vampire winced, then felt slightly guilty at kicking the vamp while he was down.  
  
"Do you have to call me that?"  
  
Xander shrugged, "tell you what, I'll meet you halfway. How's DB suit you?"  
  
Angel grimaced but nodded. "Better."  
  
"DB it is." Xander grinned. "How you feeling?"  
  
"Better." Angel repeated. "Nice pad."  
  
"Pad?" Xander grinned, "You're talking like a seventies disco star."  
  
Angel grimaced again. "Don't joke about that. I had to live through the seventies."  
  
Xander glanced at the toga like sheet the vampire had wrapped around him. "Is that one of the bed sheets from the spare room?"  
  
The vamp looked down, "Sorry... Didn't see anything else."  
  
"Hang on." Xander ducked into his room and grabbed some workout clothes. "Here."  
  
Angel caught the sweat pants and glanced at them, relieved that they weren't a multicolored spectacular. "Thanks."  
  
"No sweat." Xander grinned, "Saves me from scraping my eyeballs out if that sheet slipped."  
  
Angel just grimaced, rolled his eyes, and stepped into the spare room to change. When he was gone Xander whispered quietly. "How long has he been up?"  
  
The computer's voice came back just as quiet, "I'm not certain. He is difficult to track... an hour perhaps."  
  
"He try to get into anything?"  
  
"No. Merely tried to get the elevator to work, but I disabled it."  
  
Xander chuckled soundlessly at the image of Deadboy trying to understand why the elevator wasn't working. "Ok."  
  
"Xander?" Angels voice came as the door opened.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You talking to me?"  
  
Xander cursed mentally, but kept a straight face. "Nope. Just mumbling to myself."  
  
"Ok..." The vampire didn't look convinced.  
  
Xander tossed him a remote, "You wanna watch the tube?"  
  
Angel looked at the imposing size of the huge flatscreen but shook his head. "No. I wanted to talk to Buffy."  
  
"Sorry, DB." Xander said, "Buff is at home now... probably being tucked in by mommy dearest."  
  
"Oh." Angel swallowed and nodded. "I guess I should go then..."  
  
Xander stopped, and turned to look at the vampire. "The room is yours as long as you need it, DB. No strings."  
  
"You mean other then putting up with your personality?" Angel asked with a smile.  
  
Xander grinned, "You stay in Sunnydale and you're gonna have to put up with that."  
  
"Decisions, decisions." Angel said seriously.  
  
"Yeah well, I'm making this one for you... at least until tomorrow." Xander said, "You go nowhere until you talk to Buff again. Besides, you don't want Giles to find you out on the street... believe you me."  
  
Angel winced at the memories. "You may have a point. I guess I've got some bridges in shambles with the whole group..."  
  
Xander shrugged, "You and me are cool. Willow's going to side with Buffy, and Oz will go with Will. That only leaves G-man... But you and I both know that he's not someone to piss off." Angel nodded.  
  
"Still..." Xander conceded, "The Watcher will follow the Slayer's lead... So you're probably coming out of this better then you think."  
  
Angel just nodded again.  
  
Xander yawned again, "Look. I'm going to crash. Watch the tube, grab some sleep, or whatever. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
Angel glanced at the huge windows that were completely blacked out. "Mind if I ask why you have painted windows?"  
  
"They're not painted." Xander said, "I work for the security division of Stark Enterprises... the windows can go opaque in case my boss visits and we have a sniper threat."  
  
"Oh." Angel said quietly as Xander closed the door to his room. Ask a stupid question.  
  
***** 


	5. Chap 5

Title : School Daze, (K)night Job Author : Tenhawk  
  
********WARNING!********  
  
This story is NOT part of the Journeyverse continuum! This is the Sequel to 'Red & Gold'  
  
*********WARNING!********  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.  
  
Summary: Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you're hiding a secret from the Slayer.  
  
Warning : Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)  
  
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.  
  
*****  
  
"Mr. Harris..."  
  
Xander opened one eye blearily, "Huh? Wha? What time is it?"  
  
"Six thirty."  
  
"I told you to wake me for eight."  
  
"I know Mr. Harris, but you have a visitor in the elevator."  
  
"Huh? Who?"  
  
"The blond. Buffy."  
  
"Ah hell..."  
  
"Should I keep the elevator where it is, Mr Harris?"  
  
"No... no. let her up. And call me Xander, ok? My dad is Mr Harris... and I don't need to be compared to him."  
  
Their was a pause. "Very well... Xander. She'll be up here in a moment."  
  
Xander shook himself awake and grabbed the clothes he'd laid out the night before.  
  
*****  
  
Buffy stepped out of the elevator into the large room, looking around, a little surprised by how dark it was. "Hello? Xander?... Angel?"  
  
"Just a sec!" Xander's voice came from his room. "Be right out."  
  
She nodded and sat down on the leather couch.  
  
While she was waiting the door to the spare bedroom shifted open. "Buffy?"  
  
"Angel." She breathed.  
  
He stepped out, wearing a dark maroon sweater and matching sweat pants. She had to stifle a laugh, it was so out of character from his standard black leather.  
  
He caught her look and grimaced. "I know, I know... but this is Xander's, so I'm counting my blessings that it's not a Hawaiian print."  
  
She smiled and nodded her agreement. "He dresses better now."  
  
Angel rolled his eyes, but nodded. "What happened?"  
  
"After you... left..." Buffy said softly, "So did he. He blamed himself."  
  
Angel frowned, "For what? My 'death'?"  
  
She shook her head, "Not exactly... He blames himself for... I don't know... letting it go so far? I'm not sure I understand."  
  
"There was nothing he could have done." Angel said with certainty.  
  
"Maybe. Maybe not." Buffy said, unsure. "I don't know. But he was hurt enough that he left... then I had a vision, and saw him die."  
  
She closed her eyes as the pain of the vision floated back. Angel saw it, and started toward her but soon aborted the move and stopped. "I'm... sorry."  
  
"Nothing you could have done either, Angel." Buffy said, "Things just happen I guess."  
  
"Maybe." Angel said. "How have you been?"  
  
"It's been a hard summer." Buffy admitted softly, "If I didn't have Willow and Giles... and Mom and Dawn... I don't know..."  
  
"Family." Angel said. "They help you through the hard times."  
  
Buffy nodded as Angel turned away, she barely caught a flash of pain in his eyes.  
  
They really do. He thought, unless you kill them.  
  
*****  
  
Xander stepped out of his room, dressed to the nines, and saw Buffy sitting on the couch, studiously not looking at Angel who was staring just as focused at the wall. Whoa... chilly room.  
  
"Hey guys." he said, forcing a bit of cheer that he wasn't feeling into his voice, "Up for some breakfast?"  
  
Buffy shook her head, "I ate some toast before I came over."  
  
"Toast?" Xander looked at her, "Come on. I'll make you a decent meal... Jeez, Buff... with all the action you see I don't think counting calories is high on the priority list."  
  
Buffy reluctantly consented to being dragged to the table, then suddenly turned to Angel. "I brought you some... food... as well."  
  
Xander paused, "Where on Earth did you find blood this time of day?"  
  
She looked sheepish, "I busted into Willy's and woke him up."  
  
Xander couldn't help it, he burst out laughing. "Oh that's rich. What did he say?"  
  
"Before or after he finished quaking in his boots?" Buffy smirked.  
  
Xander just shook his head and started grabbing things from the fridge and cupboards. "You're one of a kind, Buffster. Bacon and Eggs sound good?"  
  
Buffy saw Xander break out the pans and start preheating them, her stomach suddenly growled as it got the hint that food was forthcoming. "Sound good."  
  
Xander smiled, "Cool. Yo, Db, you want to nuke that stuff?"  
  
Angel winced as he handled the small paper bag. "Sure."  
  
"Help yourself." Xander pointed to the microwave on a counter.  
  
Angel drifted silently across the room and quickly slipped the wine bottle from the bag. He looked at the label, worried that it might be human since it came from Willy's.  
  
"It's cow." Buffy said quickly, "I made sure..."  
  
He nodded and grabbed a large glass from the cupboard, pouring the blood out. He grimaced every second that the blood was in plain sight, quickly shifting it to the microwave and setting the timer to thirty seconds.  
  
Xander went about his task of preparing breakfast, quickly cracking the eggs as the bacon started to sizzle in the black cast iron pan.  
  
*****  
  
After breakfast Xander gave Buffy a lift to school, leaving Angel trapped in the darkened apartment until the sun went down.  
  
"Sharing an apartment with Xander of all people." Angel shook his head as he bowed to the boredom and flicked on the TV. "Something is really wrong with the world"  
  
"No Kidding, How do you think I feel?"  
  
Angel jumped straight of the couch, staring around in shock. "Who said that!?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Show yourself!"  
  
Nothing.  
  
Angel swallowed. There wasn't anyone there, he was sure of that. He'd have heard breathing, smelt perspiration, blood, or something. After several minutes of stalking around the apartment he finally sat down again, shivers running up his spine as he looked around.  
  
*****  
  
Xander looked at Buffy after he stopped the car in the school lot, "You'll get through this."  
  
She smiled over at him, her eyes uncertain. "I know."  
  
"Come on," Xander smiled, "We'll walk to class and see Willow..."  
  
"Ok."  
  
The two of them got out of the car and walked into the school. *****  
  
They didn't have a spare period until just before lunch, so Xander got to watch Buffy shift nervously in one class after another until her nerves were rubbing off on him.  
  
He breathed more then one sigh of relief when the last class was finally over and they had their free period. They might have a hard time coming up, but at least it would soon be over.  
  
Xander sat in the library, doing his best to appear calm on the outside. Inside he was all nerves. He knew that Buffy wasn't going to have an easy time in this meeting, and he was worried for her.  
  
"Hey Xan."  
  
Xander forced a smile and nodded at Oz. "Hey wolfman, how's it going?"  
  
Oz shrugged. "Ok."  
  
Xander rolled his eyes, straightened his face, and spoke in a deliberate monotone. "Cool."  
  
Oz sort of semi smiled while Willow glared at him. "Xander! Stop making fun of my boyfriend."  
  
Xander's mind lit up as he thought of a way to bury some of the nerves.  
  
"OkifyoureallywantmetooIguessIcandothatforyouWills..." Xander said with a straight face, then took a deep breath.  
  
Willow stared at him in shock, then raged. "Xander!"  
  
Xander lost his calm exterior and started laughing, then stopped in shock as Oz actually chuckled out loud. Soon the two of them were laughing as Willow turned redder and redder.  
  
"Stop it!" She glared at them, "That wasn't funny!"  
  
This was the point that Buffy and Cordy walked into the room, greeted by the odd sight of Willow raging at both Xander and Oz while they laughed for no apparent reason.  
  
"Ok." Cordy said dryly, "If this is contagious someone shoot me now."  
  
Buffy glanced at her, a slight grin on her lips. "Don't say that too loud around Xander."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
Giles walked into the room, glancing at the commotion with a raised eyebrow, but little reaction otherwise. He sat and tolerantly waited for everyone to calm down. Eventually his patience was rewarded as the last of the laughter petered out, and the two guys sat there smirking while Willow glared at them.  
  
"If you're quite finished?" Giles asked, looking around at them. "Good. Now, Buffy, do you have anything to report from last night's patrol?"  
  
Buffy fidgeted and looked around uncomfortably. "Well... it was quiet most of the night, but Xander and I were attacked by some vamps toward the end..."  
  
"Many?"  
  
Buffy nodded, "Yeah... a lot."  
  
"You're both alright?" Giles looked between them with concern.  
  
"Yeah, we're fine, G-man." Xander grinned.  
  
Giles rolled his eyes, but let it slide. "Anything else."  
  
Buffy took a deep breath, "Yeah..."  
  
Everyone waited as she looked around. She saw curiosity and concern on most faces, but when her eyes fell on Xander there was just a calm reassurance as he nodded to her. "Angel's back."  
  
Eye's popped, jaws dropped, and at least one book thudded to the table.  
  
"Sorry..." Willow whispered, picking her math book back up from where she had been sneaking in some reading.  
  
"Good lord." Giles muttered, "Are you certain?"  
  
Buffy nodded, "Yeah."  
  
Cordy spoke hesitantly, "Is he... you know? Grrrr?"  
  
"He's *not* Angelus." Buffy said.  
  
"But how can you be sure?" Giles put in.  
  
"She's sure." Xander said, speaking up for the first time. "I'm sure."  
  
"You?" Cordelia looked at him in surprise, "How do you know?"  
  
Xander shrugged, "Cause if I weren't sure I wouldn't let him stay at my apartment."  
  
"Angel's staying at your place!?" Willow squeaked out in shock.  
  
"Are you insane!?" Cordelia asked shrilly.  
  
"Hmmmm..." Oz mumbled to himself.  
  
Giles waited for the comments to end before speaking, his voice cold and hard. "Even so, I don't see how you can be certain."  
  
Xander took a breath, "I guess I should tell you what happened the night I left town..."  
  
*****  
  
When he was done speaking there was a long silence as everyone let it seep in.  
  
"My god."  
  
"Jeeez..."  
  
"That's... so tragic. In a romantic kinda way..."  
  
"Hmmmm..."  
  
Buffy and Xander remained silent, letting the others get used to the idea.  
  
Giles took a breath, looking around in agitation. "Very well. I don't see that there is anything else to discuss right now."  
  
"Giles... I..." Buffy started.  
  
"Not now, Buffy." Giles said, pushing away from the table. "I'll see you later."  
  
Buffy watched, her face a mask of emotions as she watched Giles walk back to his office. "Ok..."  
  
*****  
  
Xander waited for Buffy outside the library, stepping in time to her as she walked out. "He'll get over it."  
  
Buffy didn't look up him, "I hope so."  
  
"Giles will be fine, Buff." Xander said, "You just have to understand that he has a lot of anger to deal with... and it's not unjustified."  
  
"Don't you think I know that!?" She hissed, glancing at him. "But what am I supposed to do? Stake Angel?"  
  
Xander was silent for a while, "If it comes to it."  
  
"What!?" Buffy's voice raised, and she stopped in her tracks.  
  
"I don't mean now." Xander said, "But you have to understand... if he becomes Angelus again, and you don't stake him... there is going to be a line of people waiting for the honor."  
  
"I can't believe you!" Buffy was almost yelling now, "Last night I thought you'd changed! But you're still as jealous as ever!"  
  
Xander glared right back at her, not backing down. "This isn't about being jealous, Buffy. If Angelus comes back, I'll take him down myself if you can't do it."  
  
"I guess all that stuff about being ok with Angel was just junk then huh?"  
  
"No," Xander shook his head, "I'm fine with Angel. Angelus is NOT Angel. You can't have it both ways, Buff!"  
  
Buffy took a step back, "What are you talking about?"  
  
"You can't say that Angel is innocent of Angelus' crimes, then use Angel as an excuse not to stake Angelus." Xander said, his voice hard and angry. "If they are two different people, then so be it. Angel's innocence doesn't transfer to Angelus anymore then Angelus' crimes transfer to Angel! I'm telling you this now so you can figure it out for when, or if, the time ever comes. Angelus is NOT Angel. You can't let him get away with Murder because they happen to have a time share deal going."  
  
Buffy glare faltered a bit and she looked away, "Angelus won't come back... we know about the curse now..."  
  
"Buffy..." Xander said hesitantly, "Curses were made to be broken. I'm not saying it will happen, but it's a factor you have to accept. If his soul goes bye bye, then it's dusty time for Angelus."  
  
Buffy looked away, then stepped back from Xander and walked off.  
  
Xander swallowed as he watched her go, wondering if he went too far. He shook his head and checked his schedule. It was already shaping up to be another long day.  
  
*****  
  
After school Xander found Buffy waiting for him by his car. He didn't say anything, just keyed the door locks and silently opened the passenger side door for her, and got into the drivers side himself. He sat there for a few moments, not touching the key.  
  
Finally he turned to look at Buffy, "I'm not going to apologize for what I said, but I am sorry that it had to be said. I wish things were simpler, Buffy."  
  
"I know." She said tonelessly. "I know, Xander."  
  
Xander nodded and turned the key, starting the engine and pulling out of the school parking lot.  
  
*****  
  
The made it to his apartment in silence, and were in the elevator on the way up before either of them spoke.  
  
"Xander... I..." Buffy started, but the doors opened on the apartment before she could get any further.  
  
Xander motioned her in, then followed as the doors shut behind him.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"DB?"  
  
Angel was still wearing the maroon jumpsuit that Xander had given him. And he looked distinctly out of place standing in the center of the room, staring around himself suspiciously.  
  
"Xander... someone's in here."  
  
Xander looked around, worried, and double timed it to his room where he picked up his pistol. He came out, looking at Angel, "Where?"  
  
"I don't know!" Angel said, frustrated. "I can't smell them, or hear them... but they're here!"  
  
Xander moved across the room, tapping a command into the keyboard by his couch. The TV came online, showing a layout of the room with two bright dots and one rather nebulous circle. He shook his head, "There's no one in here."  
  
Angel looked around, "I heard her. She spoke."  
  
Xander had a sinking sensation in his gut, "What did she say?"  
  
Angel frowned, "Well... I said something about the world being screwy cause I was living in your apartment..." "And?"  
  
"The voice muttered something like... How do you think I feel?"  
  
Xander silently counted to ten, then blew up anyway. "That's it!"  
  
Buffy and Angel looked at Xander in shock as he raged.  
  
"That is IT! I'm getting that dull Axe I mentioned, and when I'm done with you, you'd better bet that Rhodey is next on my list!" Xander fumed as he tore through the room.  
  
Just as the two of them both came to the conclusion that Xander had flipped, a voice came out of nowhere, and it sounded smug. "You don't know where my central core is."  
  
"Oh don't you think that'll stop me!" Xander threatened the ceiling. "I give you one simple instruction, keep quiet while there are others here, and can you do it!? Nooooo..."  
  
"But he's been here for *hours*!" The voice whined, "You have no idea how boring it is to have to keep quiet..."  
  
Xander stopped and stared at the ceiling in shock. "Boring!? Surf the damn net or something!"  
  
"I am... but I finished it last night."  
  
"Xander...?" Buffy asked, her face confused.  
  
"What!?" Xander turned on her, snapping before he thought about it. He quickly calmed down, "What?"  
  
"What's going on?" She asked as softly and quietly as she could manage.  
  
"Just my pain in the ASS computer, showing off!"  
  
"I was NOT showing off!" The computer voice came back, "I was merely commiserating with the vampire over our mutual misfortune."  
  
Angel started snickering.  
  
Xander spun on him, "Oh, don't you start laughing...!"  
  
That did it, both Angel and Buffy broke down, neither really understanding the joke but both knowing that it was somehow very funny.  
  
Xander stood there in the center of his apartment, sighing into his hands. "Computer... Get me Jim on the line. NOW." "Yes Sir."  
  
*****  
  
Jim Rhodes looked up as his office screen came online, he smiled when he noticed Xander on the other side. He lost the smile when he noticed Xander's expression. Uh oh.  
  
"Hello, Kid... what's up?"  
  
"What the hell is wrong with this computer system you gave me, Jim!?"  
  
Jim's normally impassive face cracked just a little. "Nothing... much."  
  
"Jim, this poor excuse for a commodore 64 just revealed itself to my friends."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So!? I was kinda hoping for a little more undercover time then TWO DAYS."  
  
Jim looked in the background and saw that there were two people roaring with laughter, and he suddenly figured out that there was more to it then blowing his 'cover'. "Let me guess... you don't like it's sense of humor?"  
  
"Is that what that's supposed to be!?" Xander fumed, "Jim, what the hell did you give me?"  
  
"Well... it's a factory reject model." Jim grinned, "We had some problems with the personality matrix."  
  
"Oh that's just fabulous. You couldn't have given me one that wasn't a retard?" Xander looked around as the lights dimmed in his apartment, "Cut that out, you!"  
  
Jim chuckled as the lights came back on full. "Sorry, but you know the AI's are very sought after... I just couldn't give you one that's meant for a client... and there's a waiting list."  
  
"Then why give me one at all, dammit!?" Xander asked. "This thing can't even let someone use the TV remote on there own... OR go to the bathroom."  
  
Jim saw the blond who was laughing in the background pop up, her eyes wide. "That's what Willow wanted to do an exorcism for!? Oh God, wait t'ill she finds out that she wanted to do an exorcism for a computer program!" Then the blond burst out laughing again.  
  
Jim saw Xander collapse into his couch, groaning. "Do you see what you're doing to me here, Jim!?"  
  
Jim just laughed at him, ""Live with it. The AI won't give away anything it's not supposed to." Xander's eyes narrowed. "Nothing it's not... You set me up!"  
  
"Gotta go. Cya."  
  
Jim flicked off the comm, still grinning, then dialed Tony.  
  
*****  
  
Xander collapsed back in his couch and groaned. "That bastard set me up!"  
  
Behind him he could still hear Buffy laughing, but at least Angel had finally shut up. "Computer..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Xander was silent for a long moment, before he sighed. "I'm rescinding my previous orders about keeping quiet."  
  
"Yes Sir."  
  
"Oh, *now* you're polite and obedient." Xander said sarcastically.  
  
"Yes Sir."  
  
"You better pray I don't wake up some night and decide to... oh, I don't know, run an overload pulse through my pistol!" Xander snapped.  
  
Buffy stopped laughing finally when the computer made no response to that. "What does that mean?"  
  
Xander looked at her, "I just threatened to erase it's memory core with an EMP."  
  
"A what!?"  
  
"Big magnet." Xander said.  
  
"Oh." Buffy stopped and considered, "Xander! That's cruel!"  
  
"Thank you, Miss Summers." The computer spoke up.  
  
Xander groaned again, "You shut up! No brown nosing the guests!"  
  
"Xander!"  
  
"I like her." Came a mock whisper from the ceiling. "Alright, that's it!" Xander grumbled, getting up.  
  
"Xander... where are you going?"  
  
"Out!" Xander grumbled. "Away from that... whatever it is!"  
  
Buffy looked at Angel apologetically, "Sorry... I'll be back."  
  
The she followed Xander into the elevator, leaving Angel alone in the apartment once again. Or not so alone.  
  
The 240 year old vampire looked up at the ceiling, "I don't suppose you play chess?"  
  
*****  
  
READ THIS!! :  
  
If you want more stories/faster updates in this and/or the Journeyverse series don't ask me. Just go to my Yahoo group and check it out for DAILY updates. I only post here when I get around to it... which can be any stretch of time at all. FF.Net simply isn't a priority given the recent uncertainties in posting here. So far I've been lucky, none of my fics have been deleted, but a lot of stories are biting the big one for little to no reason.  
  
www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/journeyverse 


	6. Chap 6

Title : School Daze, (K)night Job Author : Tenhawk  
  
********WARNING!********  
  
This story is NOT part of the Journeyverse continuum! This is the Sequel to 'Red & Gold'  
  
*********WARNING!********  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.  
  
Summary: Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you're hiding a secret from the Slayer.  
  
Warning : Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)  
  
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.  
  
*****  
  
Buffy followed Xander out of the building before she spoke, "Xander...? Xander! Come on, it wasn't that big a deal..."  
  
Xander kept stalking into the park, his face set in anger.  
  
"Xander!" She grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. "I'm sorry I laughed at you! Alright?"  
  
"It's not that." Xander pushed away, irritated.  
  
"Then what!?"  
  
"I..." Xander stopped, refusing to go on.  
  
"You what?" Buffy pressed, "Come on Xander... you what?"  
  
"I... I wanted some parts of my life to myself." Xander said, feeling like a heel as he did. "I wanted something that wasn't part of Sunnydale, ok? I'm sorry... but I just wanted something to myself."  
  
Buffy fell silent as they walked through the park. Finally she spoke. "I understand."  
  
Xander stopped, looking over at her.  
  
"Don't look so surprised." Buffy said, "It's not like I asked for slayage stuff to happen to me. When it started I kept trying to keep my old life separate, but intact. But sooner or later it all muddles together."  
  
Xander sighed, "Yeah. I'm getting the idea."  
  
"It's not so bad, Xander..." Buffy grinned, "At least you're not a super hero with a secret identity..."  
  
Xander let out a practiced laugh. "Yeah. At least."  
  
The two of them continued to walk through the park as the sun followed its track down to the horizon.  
  
*****  
  
Xander and Buffy arrived back at the apartment to find Angel playing chess on the flatscreen.  
  
"Queen's Knight takes Black Queen. Check." Angel said, grinning.  
  
"Bishop takes Knight. Checkmate." The computer intoned, a hint of smugness in its voice.  
  
Angel dropped his grin and glared at the screen. "That's three in a row. Are you stringing me along on purpose so I'll think I have a chance?"  
  
The computer didn't reply.  
  
Xander rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Maybe now you see why I'm aggravated with the bugger."  
  
Angel turned around, surprised. "I didn't notice you come in."  
  
Xander and Buffy looked at each other, surprised.  
  
"You didn't hear us?" Buffy said.  
  
Xander laughed, "Hey, whaddya know... We found the Dark Knight's kryptonite... he's a chess club geek."  
  
Angel growled, but Buffy was already laughing.  
  
Xander sighed happily, Can't let DB get one over on me without some retribution.  
  
*****  
  
Two nights later  
  
Xander looked around the empty apartment, taking a dep breath. Angel had finally deemed himself fit for patrol, and had actually managed to convince Buffy that he was right, so the two of them were gone.  
  
That left Xander, for the first night of the week, with free time. Buffy wasn't patrolling alone tonight, and she didn't need him to back her up.  
  
Of course, that left him with the time to get some practice in.  
  
"Computer," He called out, "Access Armory."  
  
"Confirm identity." The computer's voice came out of the ceiling.  
  
"Harris, Alexander L. Stark Enterprises Security chief, west coast."  
  
"Identity confirmed."  
  
The panels slid apart to reveal the small but well stocked armory. Xander walked up to the armor where it stood, silently waiting to be called into battle again. He took a breath and stepped into the open back of the suit, feeling the thrill rush through him as the armor sealed itself tightly around him and the systems came online.  
  
"Seal Armory." His voice was oddly changed by the mask he wore, but the voice print was still the same.  
  
"Confirmed."  
  
Iron Man looked up at the skylight in the ceiling. "Open up."  
  
The tempered security glass slid open, and Iron Man tensed.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
Xander stopped, surprised. "Yes?"  
  
"Good luck... Sir."  
  
Xander nodded inside the armor. "Thank you."  
  
Then he looked up and his boot jets flared, lifting him into the air.  
  
As he cleared the skylight, the computer reversed the mechanism and sealed it again.  
  
"You're welcome... Xander."  
  
***** "So..." Angel grunted as he dodged a blow from a vampire, planting his stake in its heart with a smooth motion. "How was your day?"  
  
Buffy ducked under a punch, "Oh... you know..." she nailed the vampire with a kick to the ribs that cracked bone. "Same old... Giles is speaking to me again... well, more than single syllable words anyway."  
  
"That's..." Angel grunted as he was thrown back by a kick to the face, "Good..."  
  
"Yeah..." Buffy staked her opponent, then looked around for another dance partner. When she found none she stopped to watch Angel deal with his last vampire. "It's a big relief."  
  
Angel nodded, ducked under another kick, and shoved his stake into the vamp's chest. "I'm glad for you."  
  
"Maybe he'll be ready to talk to you soon." Buffy suggested as she started to continue on her patrol.  
  
Angel shook his head, "I don't think he wants to see me again for a long time."  
  
Buffy nodded reluctantly, "Yeah... but he'll come around."  
  
"Maybe. Maybe he shouldn't." Angel said.  
  
"It wasn't you, Angel... It wasn't you."  
  
"No. It wasn't. But it was me that got too close to a Slayer. It was me that broke the curse. Those things were me."  
  
Buffy looked at him, her face a mask of hurt. "Too close?"  
  
Angel looked away, "Yeah, Buffy... Too close. Far too close."  
  
The two continued on their patrol in silence.  
  
*****  
  
Man! This is the ONLY way to Patrol! Xander enthused as he overflew Sunnydale, fists outstretched. He looked at the dark terrain below him, marveling at the beauty of the lights against the blackness.  
  
Ok... now what was that baddy G-man was jabbering about? Xander wondered, "Computer... Access those police reports I told you about... try to find a pattern."  
  
The computer voice buzzed in his ear, ::Accessing.... Analyzing... Complete. Three pattern matches found.:: "Let me have them."  
  
::One. Geographic. All the strikes have been in the locale of the industrial district.::  
  
"Ok, changing course." Xander said, leaning and heading for the district.  
  
::Two. Victim. All Victims were female, aged fourteen to twenty two. Presumed to be prostitutes by the Sunnydale PD.::  
  
"Hookers? In Sunnydale? This isn't L.A. Computer." Xander muttered.  
  
::Unknown. Three. All Deaths occurred between midnight and one o'clock.::  
  
"That pattern I remember." Xander said as he slowed to a hover a hundred feet over the industrial district. "Does the pattern match anything in the database, or on the net?"  
  
::Working.::  
  
"Cool." Xander said, "but while you do that I'm taking this show a little closer to the road."  
  
Iron Man dropped toward the ground, keeping his noise level to a minimum as he overlooked the streets below him.  
  
*****  
  
"What's down this way?" Angel asked as Buffy led him out of the graveyard, then headed toward the Industrial district.  
  
"We're not sure..." Buffy responded, "Willow hacked into the police records and found that there was a series of really icky murders down this way. Women the cops seem to think are prostitutes have been hacked apart and some of their organs were taken."  
  
"Nice." Angel said, "No ideas if its human or demon?"  
  
Buffy looked at him sharply, "It has to be a demon... what would a human want with organs?"  
  
Angel shrugged, "Spell components, trophies, resale, maybe a meal..."  
  
"Ewww! That's sick!"  
  
"Buffy, I've been around a long time... and I've seen a lot of things," Angel hesitated, "But some of the sickest things I've seen were done by humans, who's souls were intact."  
  
*****  
  
::Pattern search complete. No match found.::  
  
"Great." Xander muttered, "Hold on a second, I'm tracking something."  
  
::Confirmed.::  
  
Xander landing on the roof of a nearby building and looked down at a lumber figure below him. "What the hell have we here?"  
  
:: Body temperature 109 degrees... Mass 2.43 tons... Profile and data compilation indicates a Olgara Demon.::  
  
"Threat factor?"  
  
::Moderate.:: The computer advised him. ::Strength is capable of damaging the armor.::  
  
"Great." Xander muttered. He watched as the demon made it's way down the empty street, looking furtively over it's shoulder. "He is definitely up to something."  
  
As the demon went around the corner Xander lifted off the rooftop and flew in pursuit.  
  
*****  
  
The man watched as the lumbering beast of a demon trundled through the door of the old warehouse.  
  
"Did you get it?"  
  
The demon grumbled, but pulled out a small object that was tucked under it's arm.  
  
"Good! Good!" The man said, his eyes lighting up. "Finally... Give me the Dagger."  
  
The demon pulled it back, just out reach, and grumbled again.  
  
"Give me the DAGGER!" The man's eyes flashed dangerously.  
  
Reluctantly the demon handed the ornate weapon over. Then it grumbled something else.  
  
The man glare at it, "Later. Stand over there!"  
  
The demon kept grumbling, but moved to where the man pointed.  
  
The man smiled as he saw his own reflection gleaming in the silver blade of the dagger. "Beautiful..."  
  
He turned back to a stone alter he had placed in the center of the room. "Don't you think, my dear?"  
  
On the alter a young woman was frozen, staring in fear at the blade as he approached.  
  
*****  
  
"What... what happened?"  
  
Angel looked over at Buffy oddly, "What?"  
  
"When you went through... it. What happened?" Buffy asked again, her voice soft.  
  
Angel was silent for a while, looking straight ahead. "I really don't want to talk about it... and you don't need to hear it either, Buffy."  
  
"I think I do." Buffy said stubbornly.  
  
"Trust me. You don't." Angel's voice was cold.  
  
Buffy paused in mid step, staring at Angel as he kept walked. "Angel...."  
  
Angel didn't look back, he just spoke quietly. "Let's get back to work. We have a... demon... to find."  
  
*****  
  
"No! Get away from me!" The girl screamed as she watched the man come toward her.  
  
"Now, now, my dear." The man chided, his voice almost gentle. "There's really nothing to be gained by all this screaming..."  
  
He hefted the dagger and stood over the chained girl, slowly bringing the dagger up. Her scream pierced his ears and he winced. "For christ sake, child, shut up... oh, never mind. I'll do it for you."  
  
He tensed to drive the blade down, but was startled by a sudden crash from above him. He spun around and looked up to see a shower of shattered glass fall to the floor of the warehouse. As the glass struck the floor around him he stared upwards in shock.  
  
A figure clothed in Red and Gold was slowly descending to the ground, its arms crossed across it's chest. "You know, the whole blood sacrifice thing went out of style in the dark ages."  
  
The man's jaw worked a couple times before he found his voice. "Wh... who are you?"  
  
"Call me... Iron Man."  
  
The man shook his head, getting his nerve back. He finally smirked. "How very... original of you."  
  
The armored form shrugged, "I go with tradition."  
  
The man turned to glare at the Olgara demon. "Kill Him!"  
  
Iron Man turned to look at the demon, to his surprise the demon shook its head and growled something.  
  
"I said KILL HIM!" The man screamed in apoplectic fury.  
  
The huge demon growled, shaking it's head for a moment, then charged Iron Man like a Bull Elephant. He hit Iron Man at full speed and lifted the red and gold figure off his feet and slammed him back into the concrete wall.  
  
Cinder blocks cracked, mortar crumbled, and Iron Man was half buried in the solid wall. His hands were splayed out to either side as he saw stars.  
  
::Warning! External pressure is approaching design tolerance!::  
  
Xander shook his head, clearing his vision. He could see the furious face of the demon just inches from his mask. Slowly he flexed his arms, getting the feeling back into them, then he deliberately brought his hands in and grabbed the demon by it's shoulders.  
  
"Nice move, ugly." He muttered, "My turn."  
  
*****  
  
The silence of their walk was interrupted when they both heard a loud crack, like two huge boulders smashing together.  
  
"Did you...?"  
  
Angel nodded. "Yeah."  
  
"What...?"  
  
Angel shook his head. "No idea. Where...?"  
  
"Not sure."  
  
The two of them were looking around, trying to locate the source of the sound, when they heard a crash of glass and spun toward the sound.  
  
***** "My turn." Xander growled, forcing the demon back as he removed himself from the pressure indent in the cinder blocks and started to push the demon back across the warehouse.  
  
The demon growled at him, it's motions becoming increasingly desperate as it found itself forced back into the center of the warehouse.  
  
::Warning! Pressure rising to dangerous levels!::  
  
Xander growled, pushing the demon's arms away from his torso, bending them back. The Demon redoubled it's efforts to force him back.  
  
::Warning!...::  
  
"Shut up!" Xander growled, suddenly slamming his helmet forward into the Demon's face.  
  
The Olgara fell back in pain, clutching at it's face. Xander didn't give it a chance to recover, the demon was too dangerous. He slammed an armored fist into it's lower abdomen, then unleashed a full power uppercut to the creature as it doubled over.  
  
The powerful blow lifted the Demon clean off the ground and sent the creature right out one of the huge upper level windows.  
  
*****  
  
Angel and Buffy stared in shock as the massive bulk flew over their heads and slammed into the street with enough force to crack the cement. They approached the moaning form slowly, tentatively.  
  
"What is it?" Buffy asked with distaste as she looked at the grayish blob.  
  
Angel looked it over, "An Olgaran..."  
  
"A what?"  
  
Angel shook his head, looking at the old warehouse a few hundred yards away. ""Olgaran's weigh over two *tons*... what the hell could have thrown one that far!?"  
  
*****  
  
The man actually shook when the Red and Gold armored figure turned toward him. "W... what are you?"  
  
Iron Man walked toward him, and extended a hand. "Give me the dagger."  
  
The man fell back a step, clutching the ornate weapon to him, and shaking his head. "No... No... NO!" "Get real, you wacko." Iron Man said, "Give me the dagger and I'll let the cops handle it. Keep it, and I handle it."  
  
The man suddenly broke out in an insane grin, "I have a third option! I can kill her and complete the ceremony!"  
  
The man spun around,. Lifting the dagger high into the air above the bound girl. As he started to slash downward with the blade he felt two strong, cold, hands grab him from behind and lift him off the ground.  
  
There was a rush of wind, then the man felt a sudden crack, then nothing but blackness.  
  
Iron Man turned to the girl, who was staring at him in terror.  
  
"W... who are you?"  
  
"Like I told the nutcase, I'm Iron Man." Xander said, putting a measure of humor into his voice. "Just hold on a second... I'll get you out of these ropes in just a jiff."  
  
He snapped the ropes easily, pulling them apart like they were threads of cotton. Then he helped her off the alter. "Don't suppose you know what his big nasty plan was?"  
  
The girl shivered, "He's insane! He kept babbling about demons and magic spells!" She looked at Xander in sudden terror, "He said he killed others!"  
  
Xander looked around, "What else did he say?"  
  
The girl shook her head, "I don't know... I wasn't listening most of the time... He said something about a hostage..."  
  
"You?"  
  
"No..." She shuddered, "He only called me 'the sacrifice'."  
  
Xander growled, glancing over at the unconscious figure of the man. He could tell from here that the man was breathing, but didn't think he was going to be waking up anytime soon. Xander sighed, Ok... too much violence.  
  
"Stay here. Don't move." He said to the girl as he started looking around the warehouse.  
  
The place was immense, and even with the enhanced sensors of his suit, Xander had a hard time find anything. When he finally did locate a trap door in the floor, he pulled the heavy slab up easily, his mask sensors allowing him to peer through the murky darkness.  
  
His heart dropped when he saw what was below, his mind putting things together. "Oh crap."  
  
*****  
  
READ THIS!! :  
  
If you want more stories/faster updates in this and/or the Journeyverse series don't ask me. Just go to my Yahoo group and check it out for DAILY updates. I only post here when I get around to it... which can be any stretch of time at all. FF.Net simply isn't a priority given the recent uncertainties in posting here. So far I've been lucky, none of my fics have been deleted, but a lot of stories are biting the big one for little to no reason.  
  
www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/journeyverse 


	7. Chap 7

Title : School Daze, (K)night Job Author : Tenhawk  
  
********WARNING!********  
  
This story is NOT part of the Journeyverse continuum! This is the Sequel to 'Red & Gold'  
  
*********WARNING!********  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.  
  
Summary: Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you're hiding a secret from the Slayer.  
  
Warning : Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)  
  
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.  
  
*****  
  
"Is it dead?" Buffy asked, looking at the huge thing.  
  
Angel shook his head, "No... But something really put a beating into this guy..."  
  
Buffy looked back over to the warehouse the Demon had flown out of, "We should go find the thing that did this..."  
  
"And do what!?" Angel looked at her incredulously. "We're armed with a few stakes... and you want to take on something that threw a Olgaran through a second story window!?"  
  
"We have to do something!"  
  
Suddenly they heard a rush of air and they both looked up. Above them a figure descended toward the ground.  
  
"What the...?"  
  
*****  
  
Oh Crap. Xander groaned as he recognized the two figures looking up at him. Just my luck.  
  
He landed right beside the Olgara demon, and tried not to look at Angel or Buffy.  
  
That tactic didn't work.  
  
"Who the hell are you!?" Buffy growled, hefting a stake.  
  
Xander almost burst out laughing. Here he was wearing the most high tech, ultra powered, damn near invulnerable suit of armor ever *conceived*, and a sixteen year old girl was threatening him with a wooden stake. He shuddered with laughter for a few seconds before speaking.  
  
"Calm down, Slayer. I'm not here for you."  
  
Buffy took a step back, then regrouped. "How do you know who I am!? And what are you here for?"  
  
Xander knelt down by the demon, who was just starting to wake up. "Come on, Buddy... get up..."  
  
Angel stared in shock as the armored figure helped the two ton demon to it's feet, like some guy at a bar helping a drunken friend up. "Buffy..."  
  
She ignored him, still confronting the figure. "Who *are* you!?"  
  
"Call me, Iron Man." Xander said, sighing as he hefted the semi-conscious demon to its feet, hooked his arms under it's arms, and fired his boot jets.  
  
Buffy stared in shock as the two figures lifted slowly into the air and actually *flew* off.  
  
*****  
  
Back in the warehouse Xander landed a little heavily, shoving the struggling Olgara demon away. "Hey! Cut me some slack!"  
  
The Demon just growled in response until Xander walked over, pulled up a trap door and pointed down. It stumbled over and looked down, and Xander could have *sworn* that it started blubbering.  
  
He rolled his eyes under his armor and shook his head. Looks like I guessed right...  
  
He knelt down and offered his hand to the Olgara Demon in the pit below the trap door, pulling it up. As soon as the demon was clear the two Olgaran's pulled each other into what passed for an embrace.  
  
Xander shook his head and walked over to the girl, who was shuddering in revulsion as she looked at the two demonic lovers. "What are those *things*!?"  
  
Xander sighed, "A young couple... Ain't love grand?" *****  
  
"I've called the cops," Xander said to the girl, "They'll be here pretty soon... You know what you're going to tell them?"  
  
She stared at him, wide eyed. "They'll think I'm nuts!"  
  
Xander chuckled under his armor, "So give them an edited version... tell them that the fruitcake over there kidnaped you... tell them what he said, make him sound like the nut case..."  
  
She glared over at the still form, a gleam entering her eyes. "I can do that."  
  
"Good." Xander said, then he looked sharply toward the doorway. "Ooops... gonna have company."  
  
She looked frightened, but Xander reassured her.  
  
"No problem, kiddo. I know them, they'll protect you until the cops get here."  
  
"You're leaving?"  
  
Xander glanced back at her, "Sorry... but the police would ask me way too many questions."  
  
"I guess I shouldn't tell them about you then either, huh?"  
  
"Smart girl."  
  
Xander smiled under his helmet and walked over to the two demons, lightly tapping the one he had fought on the shoulder. It growled as it turned on him, but Xander tried not to take it personally, for all he knew that was a thank you.  
  
"You'd better get out of here." He said.  
  
The thing growled at him, but didn't seem to understand.  
  
Frustrated, Xander pointed toward the door and spoke slowly. "Slay-er. You get me? Slay-er."  
  
The two demons glanced in the direction of the door and nodded, suddenly taking off for the other side of the warehouse as the door opened to reveal Buffy and Angel.  
  
Xander watched them go, then looked up at the shattered skylight he had mad his entrance through. He fired his boot jets and roared out of the warehouse, vanishing into the night sky a few moments later.  
  
"Wait!" Buffy cried out as she reached his former position. "Come back!"  
  
*****  
  
"Who was that... whatever!?" Buffy growled, glaring at the hole in the ceiling.  
  
"Y... you don't know?" A timid voice asked form behind her.  
  
Buffy spun around, tensed, but relaxed almost instantly when she saw the frightened girl behind her. "No. Should I?"  
  
"He knew you..."  
  
Buffy looked up at the skylight again. "He did??"  
  
"He said that... that I could trust you."  
  
Buffy shook her head, still staring up at the ceiling. "Who the hell is he?"  
  
"He said his name was Iron Man..."  
  
"Yeah," Buffy nodded, "He told us the same thing... Weird much?"  
  
The girl tittered, a little nervously, and nodded. "Yeah... but he saved me."  
  
Buffy looked around, "From a big demon... ey, thing?"  
  
She shook her head. "No... from that guy over there."  
  
Buffy followed her gesture and spotted the unconscious man in the corner. "What happened to him?"  
  
"Iron Man pulled him off me before he could drive that big knife into me..." The girl shivered.  
  
Angel walked over and turned the man over, "He's alive... This is interesting..."  
  
"What?" Buffy asked.  
  
Angel was turning the dagger over, "I think we should get Giles to take a look at this."  
  
Buffy nodded, "Ok, take it."  
  
Angel nodded and slipped the blade into a pocket. "Is the girl alright?"  
  
Buffy looked her over quickly, "Yeah."  
  
"Then we'd better go. I can hear sirens."  
  
*****  
  
"Open up." Xander muttered as he flew over the park toward his apartment.  
  
::Confirmed.::  
  
He flitted in, not slowing until the last moment, and dropped through the open skylight. "Armory Access."  
  
"Confirm identity."  
  
"Harris, Alexander L. Stark Enterprises Security chief, west coast."  
  
"Identity confirmed."  
  
Xander quickly slipped out of the armor and put it back into it's secure holding area, sealing the armory behind him. He hopped over the back of the leather sofa and relaxed. "Not a bad night's work."  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
He looked up, "I thought I told you to stop calling me, Sir?"  
  
"No, Sir. You told me to stop calling you Mr Harris."  
  
Xander was silent for a moment, uncertain whether the computer was serious, or screwing with him again. "Call me Xander."  
  
"Alright, Xander." the computer said, a hint of humor in its voice.  
  
Yep, Xander sighed, Screwing with me again.  
  
"Put on that episode of Star Trek I asked you to record."  
  
"Confirmed."  
  
*****  
  
The next morning Xander stopped by the library before he hit his first class, mostly just curious to see what Buffy had told Giles. The computer had informed him when Angel came back, but he hadn't been able to figure out a subtle way to interrogate the ensouled vampire.  
  
So he figured that Giles would be his best shot. He didn't expect to wander into a research storm.  
  
"Whoa... what's up?" He asked, looking over the tons of books and paper scattered across the tables.  
  
Giles looked up, surprised by Xander's presence. "Oh... Xander, sorry. I didn't see you."  
  
"No problem, G-man." Xander said flippantly, "Someone blow up your book collection... or is this Armageddon related?"  
  
"Well... not quite that serious I believe..." Giles muttered, wiping his glasses. "I am merely attempting to identify this dagger..."  
  
Xander's eyes raised as he recognize the weapon from last night. "Something special about it?"  
  
"I think so..." Giles said, "You see there are some runic markings along the length of the blade that seem to indicate that the weapon has some special ceremonial purpose..."  
  
Xander's mind raced back to the night before, when the man had said that he had to complete the ceremony. What did he mean? Damn, Damn, Damn... next time, interrogate... THEN incapacitate.  
  
"So, you find anything?"  
  
Giles shook his head, "No... nothing yet."  
  
"Well, I've got to get to class... let me know."  
  
Giles nodded absently, so Xander turned and left.  
  
*****  
  
Classes passed fairly quickly through the morning and it was quickly lunch time, so Xander made his way through the line and got his food. He was on his way to an empty table when he spotted Willow and Buffy waving him over.  
  
"Heya girls," He smiled at them, earning him a pair or warm smiles in return. "How's it going?"  
  
Willow leaned forward, her features intense. "You'll never believe what Buffy saw last night!"  
  
Xander leaned forward, putting on an amused sort of puzzled look. "What?"  
  
"A guy in a flying suit of armor."  
  
He had to try to keep from laughing, instead putting up his best shocked look. "You're kidding."  
  
"No!" Willow grinned, "Right, Buffy?" Buffy shrugged, looking a little uncertain. "I guess... I mean, that's what it looked like."  
  
"Wow." Xander said, "Wonder what's up with that?"  
  
"I don't know, but he saved a girl from a Mage..." Willow said, "It sounds so cool..."  
  
Buffy frowned, "We don't know if he's a good guy... I mean, we've only seen him once."  
  
"Yeah, I know..." Willow said, disappointed. "But it just sounds cool... A Knight in shining armor, even if it is red and gold... It's romantic."  
  
Buffy and Xander both rolled their eyes at Willow's enthusiasm.  
  
"Jeez, Will," Buffy muttered, "You didn't even see him and you're making up storybook romances..."  
  
Willow blushed, "Well... it does, doesn't it? I mean..."  
  
Xander laughed, "Relax Will... or you'll dig yourself even deeper. Imagine if Oz heard you mooning over this guy you never even saw..."  
  
Willow clasped a hand to her mouth. "Ohmygod! You won't tell him will you?"  
  
Xander rolled his eyes, "I was joking, Willow."  
  
The three friends laughed and talked for a while longer as they finished up their lunches. About halfway through they were joined by Oz, and then a few minutes later even Cordy made a brief stop.  
  
"Hello, Xander."  
  
Xander turned and smiled, "Hey Cordy... what's up?"  
  
"We still on for tonight?"  
  
"You bet. Bronze, pick you up at eight?"  
  
Cordelia nodded, then said goodbye and left.  
  
Xander turned back to find Willow staring at him. "What?"  
  
"You have a date with Cordelia?"  
  
"Yeah... so?"  
  
"I mean, a *real* public date??" "Yessss...." Xander said, drawing the word out.  
  
Willow blinked. "I don't believe it."  
  
Xander put on a look of mock hurt, "You wound me. Am I that bad a catch??"  
  
"No!" She said quickly, then reddened. "I mean... well... it's *Cordy*!"  
  
Xander and Buffy broke out laughing, and Oz even smiled a little. Finally Xander nodded. "Yeah, It's definitely Cordy."  
  
*****  
  
At eight o'clock Xander pulled up to the Chase mansion and slipped his sedan into park and looked up at the imposing place for a moment. Finally he sighed and got out of the car, walking up to the house.  
  
He rang the doorbell, waiting a moment. Then another moment. Finally the door was answered.  
  
"Xander..." Cordelia looked at him, a little nervously. "You're early..."  
  
Xander looked at his watch and frowned, "Am I?"  
  
"Darling!" A slurred voice came from behind Cordy, "Who are you talking too?"  
  
Xander raised an eyebrow as Cordelia's mother semi-staggered into view, a glass of brandy in her hands. He could easily pick up the signs that told him that it was far from her first drink of the evening.  
  
"Just a friend, mother." Cordelia said, sighing.  
  
"Well... bring him in!" Cordy's mother waved, smiling a little stupidly. "He's your date isn't he?"  
  
Cordelia looked a bit desperate, but Xander just smiled at her reassuringly and walked past her, calling on his three weeks of etiquette classes.  
  
"Mrs Chase..." Xander smiled and took the older woman's free hand, kissing it. He figured that in her current state she wouldn't notice him pouring the charm on a little thick.  
  
He guessed right. Mrs Chase actually blushed and giggled as she took another drink and then winked at Cordelia. "Oh I see what you like about this one..."  
  
"Mother!" Cordy groaned and leaned on the door jam.  
  
Xander smiled at Mrs Chase, "We really should be going, but it was lovely to meet you Ma'am..."  
  
Xander turned quickly to Cordelia, "Are you ready?"  
  
She nodded, a little dumbly, but didn't move so Xander hooked his arm in hers and led her out.  
  
Mrs Chase smiled, "Such a nice boy..." and took another drink of her brandy.  
  
*****  
  
"God, I'm so embarrassed." Cordelia muttered.  
  
"About what?" Xander asked.  
  
"My mom!"  
  
"That? Don't worry about it," Xander said, reaching over and rubbing her shoulder lightly. "I've seen worse... hey... I've lived worse. Don't worry."  
  
"My mom's getting worse..." Cordelia finally admitted, "She doesn't talk about what's bothering her but she's been drinking more and more lately."  
  
"Yeah... I know how that goes." Xander said, pulling the car into the Bronze parking lot. "Well, we're here."  
  
Cordelia looked up, her face masked by conflicting emotions. "So we are."  
  
Xander looked over at her, "You up to this?"  
  
An instant transformation passed over her, and the melancholy Cordelia was gone in an instant, replaced by the very familiar Cordy that Xander new all too well.  
  
"You aren't getting out of this that easy, loser boy." She smirked at him, "Come on."  
  
Oh yeah. The bitch is back.  
  
*****  
  
Buffy and Willow looked up as they saw Xander and Cordy walk in arm in arm.  
  
"Wow...." Willow said, then backpedaled as she glanced at Buffy, "Uh... I mean... well... wow."  
  
Buffy smiled at her, her expression only slightly sad. "That's ok, Will... they're very wow worthy." Willow nodded, watching as the two walked up to them. Xander was dressed in a pair of dress slacks and a black silk shirt that had the top two buttons unbuttoned, his face was calmly smiling but Willow frowned for a second as she thought she saw something wrong in his eyes. She shook it off when he turned his attention to her a moment later and she saw no sign of whatever it was. Willow looked over at Cordy and had to admit that the cheerleader had pulled out the stops for the night, dressed in a white silk blouse and a pale pair of pants that hugged every curve. She looked like a light counterpoint to Xander's darkness, which struck Willow as incredibly funny the instant she thought of it.  
  
Of course, she made the mistake of laughing while looking at Cordelia and was instantly in trouble.  
  
"What!?" Cordy instantly shrieked, checking her hair and clothing.  
  
Willow sputtered as Xander glared at her and Buffy looked at her like she was insane. "Nothing... nothing! I swear... I just... remembered a joke... that's all..."  
  
Cordelia dropped her hand from her hair and fixed Willow with a death glare, then grabbed Xander and pulled him toward the dance floor. "Come on."  
  
Xander stumbled, then double timed in order to keep up with Cordy, still glaring back at Willow. Willow winced and mouth the word 'sorry' at him just before he was lost to the crowd.  
  
"Smooth one."  
  
Willow winced, "Sorry... I just had this thought... I saw Cordy dressed in white, you know? All light and good and stuff and Xander in black... all dark and baddy..."  
  
Buffy stared at her for a long moment, her face inscrutable. Then slowly she cracked, first a snicker, then an unladylike snort, and finally full blown laughter.  
  
Willow didn't laugh, to her is didn't seem nearly as funny anymore.  
  
*****  
  
"Are you ok?" Xander asked as the slow song started and he held Cordelia close, conscious of how many people were staring in shock at them.  
  
She nodded into his chest before up a little at him, "Yeah... I'm fine. I must be off my game, I never let Willow get to me."  
  
Xander smiled a bit as they twisted around the floor, "I don't think she meant anything by it this time."  
  
Cordy shrugged, "Maybe..."  
  
Xander sighed, "I wish you guys didn't fight so much."  
  
Cordelia didn't say anything for a bit, just let the music guide her as she and Xander went around the floor. "I'm sorry."  
  
Xander blinked. Cordelia apologizing? She's being hit harder by the home front then I thought.  
  
He licked his lips unconsciously, thinking about what to say, but was interrupted by a meaty hand slamming down on his shoulder.  
  
"Huh?" Xander got out as he was spun around and found himself looking straight into the big barrel chest of Luke Simons, the football team's leading bone breaker.  
  
Xander looked up. Way up. "High. And I mean that in a vertical way."  
  
The big guy looked confused, not getting the joke or the humor of the statement. Instead he snarled, hooking his meaty hands under Xander's arms, and lifted Xander off the ground. "You were told to stay away from Cordelia!"  
  
"Excuse me!" Cordelia glared up at him, "Who gave you permission to speak, dimwit!? Let alone talk about me like I wasn't here!"  
  
The guy didn't bother to look at her, or even acknowledge her presence. He brought Xander closer to him, staring him in the eyes from mere centimeters away. "And you touched my quarterback! No one... NO ONE... touches my quarterback."  
  
The way the words were delivered, Xander had no doubt whatsoever that this guy didn't give a flying fuck what he did with or even to Cordelia. No, Xander's crime was injuring the quarterback's pride in front of the school, and thus injuring the team's pride.  
  
"Ok..." He said, trying to sound calm. "First thing..."  
  
Xander looked down, reaching around with his feet for the floor, then looked back into Luke's eyes. "How tall are you anyway??"  
  
The guy stared at him blankly for a moment, trying to figure out what he was doing wrong. Most guys would be begging forgiveness by now, not cracking jokes.  
  
"Second thing..." Xander brought his hands up and clapped Luke's ears as hard as he could, then jammed his fingers and thumbs into the nerve clusters at the base of the big guy's neck. After a few seconds he looked back into the guy's eyes and saw that all he had managed was to piss him off. "Second thing... I don't suppose we can talk this over like civilize.....!"  
  
Xander last word was drawn out into a long scream as he was thrown bodily across the dance floor, landing in a hard roll that brought to a halt under a table. He shook his head, immediately noting the two rather huge feet that were lumbering toward him.  
  
"Oh hell." Xander got up, flipping the table over as he did. "Come on, Luke... I didn't hurt him!"  
  
"Well I'm gonna hurt YOU." Luke said, slapping his fists together.  
  
"Hold it there, Tiger."  
  
Luke was suddenly walking in place, his feet sliding against the floor as he tried to make headway. After a few seconds he stopped and look over his shoulder.  
  
Buffy was holding him by the shirt with one hand, preventing him from making any headway. He growled and batted lightly at her arm, but couldn't get her to let go.  
  
"Let go!" He ordered.  
  
Buffy appeared to think about it, "Ummm... No."  
  
Luke was in a quandary. Hitting girls wasn't something his dad had brought him up to do, but protecting his teammates was everything to him. He was still puzzling it out when Xander's voice spoke up again.  
  
"Let him go, Buffy." Xander said calmly. He didn't enjoy the prospect of a fight, any fight, but he knew that if he let this go on past tonight it would just keep coming back on him until he did stop it.  
  
"What?" She looked at him as if he were insane. "Xander this guy wants to pound you into a Xander shaped puddle!"  
  
"And you're going to let him." Xander said, "This isn't Slay business, Buff. I have to handle some things myself if I want them to be over."  
  
Buffy frowned, but reluctantly nodded and let go of Luke's shirt, causing the guy to stumble forward as he lost his balance. Xander actually caught him and steadied him, "You alright?"  
  
Luke nodded, looking confused. This wasn't the way things were supposed to go, that was something he was pretty sure of.  
  
"Ok," Xander said, "Let's get this over with."  
  
*****  
  
READ THIS!! :  
  
If you want more stories/faster updates in this and/or the Journeyverse series don't ask me. Just go to my Yahoo group and check it out for DAILY updates. I only post here when I get around to it... which can be any stretch of time at all. FF.Net simply isn't a priority given the recent uncertainties in posting here. So far I've been lucky, none of my fics have been deleted, but a lot of stories are biting the big one for little to no reason.  
  
www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/journeyverse 


	8. Chap 8

Title : School Daze, (K)night Job Author : Tenhawk  
  
********WARNING!********  
  
This story is NOT part of the Journeyverse continuum! This is the Sequel to 'Red & Gold'  
  
*********WARNING!********  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.  
  
Summary: Life on the Hellmouth is never easy, especially when you're hiding a secret from the Slayer.  
  
Warning : Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)  
  
Rating : PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.  
  
*****  
  
"Ok," Xander said, "Let's get this over with."  
  
Xander shifted his feet, widening his stance for better balance and waited.  
  
Luke, for his part, looked more then a little confused. Fighting wasn't supposed to be like this. They other guy is supposed to be angry, or scared, or something... anything. Finally he shrugged it off and lifted his hands, forming them into fists. "Ok."  
  
Xander waited, but for a long moment nothing happened. Luke seemed seriously uncertain about his role in the entire affair.  
  
"What the hell are you waiting for, dummy??" The voice the team captain sounded from behind him, "Beat him into the ground!"  
  
Luke hesitated again, looking over his shoulder, then nodded and advanced on Xander.  
  
Xander waited for the first blow, and when it came he ducked under the slow haymaker and threw a fast jab into the linebacker's sternum.  
  
Luke barely grunted, and Xander fell back a couple steps cringing as he held his arm. "Jesus Christ! What the hell do you do? Sit ups in your sleep??"  
  
Luke growled a little, grabbing for Xander as he stood there, but Xander ducked and rolled under his outstretched arms and came up on hi side. Xander tried a fast strike to the side with his left fist. Another thump, another grunt from Luke, and another hiss of pain from Xander as sharp pain ran up and down his other arm.  
  
"Shit!" He cursed, stepping back again. This is NOT working.  
  
Luke turned on him, surprisingly quick considering the imposing stature he put forward. Xander rolled clear of another attempt to grab him, and came back to his feet a short distance away.  
  
Ok... Let's bring this up a level.  
  
Xander waited for Luke to advance close enough, ducked under another haymaker, and drove his elbow into the linebacker's stomach. There was a rush of exploded air, and Luke dropped to one knee.  
  
Xander stepped back, breathing a sigh of relief as he did. The sigh turned into a groan when Luke pushed himself to his feet. "Come on, man! Stay down!"  
  
Luke shook his head and bellowed as he charged at Xander position, his barrel shaped arms spread wide.  
  
Xander cursed and ducked under the outreached arms, barely staying ahead of the big football player. He drive his elbow hard into the big guy's side as he passed, causing Luke to stumble and collapse to the ground as he ran past. Xander winced in sympathetic pain, an elbow strike to the soft tissue on the side of the torso was painful in the extreme.  
  
Luke rolled on the ground for a moment, then struggled back to his feet. Xander stared in shock, muttering a curse under his breath, "Oh for the love of... stay down!"  
  
But the linebacker refused to stop, he pushed himself up again, first to his knees and finally to his feet. He stumbled a couple feet toward Xander before regaining his balance enough to walk properly. When he did, he came in slower, watching closely for any tricks.  
  
Xander tried to duck under a sweeping haymaker, but this time Luke was ready for the move and lowered his swing to intercept the move. Xander caught the blow in the chest and was thrown back a few feet.  
  
Xander winced from the pressure, then tried to move in the opposite direction, only to be caught on that side and again thrown back to where he started. He looked up at the huge young man who was winding up for another swing and cursed again. I didn't know they grew them this big around here.  
  
As the next punch came in, Xander took an alternate path, he drove in and under Luke's reach. He drive his right fist into the big guy's stomach, then came up with an elbow that clipped Luke under the chin. The linebacker staggered back a couple steps, more in surprise then real pain, and Xander pushed the advantage. He caught Luke with a right jab to the jaw that drove a spike of pain up his own arm, then followed it with a left to Luke's eye.  
  
He then clasped his hands together and drive and axe handle strike into Luke's sternum. That hit finally seemed to take the wind out of the linebacker's sails, dropping him to the ground on his ass. He sat there for a moment, his eye starting to swell slightly and a trickle of blood coming from his lip and nose.  
  
Xander hesitated, and around him there was a long silence as the crowd just sort of watched. The silence deepened as Luke shook his head and started to get up again. First to one knee, then to his feet, and finally he staggered forward, still intent on Xander.  
  
Xander threw up his hands, "Wait! Wait just a second!"  
  
Luke paused, shaking his head, "What?"  
  
Xander took a breath, "I'll apologize to the quarterback! How's that?"  
  
Luke looked at him blankly for a few seconds, not certain how to take that. "Huh?"  
  
"I'll apologize." Xander repeated, then raised his voice. "I'm sorry, ok? I'm sorry for what I did, I took him by surprise... it wasn't a fair fight... I'm sorry ok?"  
  
Luke nodded slowly, it sounded ok to him. "What about Chase?"  
  
Xander could see Cordelia bristling in the back ground, but spoke before she could say anything. "My relationships aren't his business or yours. Cordy can decide for herself."  
  
Luke nodded, still slowly, but he seemed to be making up his mind. Frankly he didn't give a damn about Chase, she was cute and all but he knew when a girl was out of his league, football player or not. "Ok."  
  
Xander nodded himself, allowing a relieved smile to filter out. "Come on, Luke... I'll buy you a drink..."  
  
"Ok." Luke nodded and allowed Xander to lead him to the 'bar'.  
  
Everyone watched, a little stunned, as Xander clasped an arm behind the big linebacker's back and walked off.  
  
"Hey!" Cordelia muttered in shock, "Did I just get dumped for a linebacker??"  
  
*****  
  
"Two Cokes!" Xander called out, as he sat down beside Luke. He grabbed a paper napkin from the bar and handed it to the football player. "Here, man... you're bleeding..."  
  
"Huh?" Luke touched his face, looking embarrassed when his fingers came away red with blood. "Oh... thanks."  
  
As the guy cleaned his face off, Xander looked at him with amazement, "Christ man... how the hell do you workout?? I've been training all summer like a madman, and if I took hits like that I'd be flat out for a week..."  
  
Luke shrugged, "I just do weights and stuff... I've always been big..."  
  
"I believe it." Xander said, "You've got to be a hellion on the field..."  
  
"Hell... what?"  
  
Xander waved off the confused look, "A devil... a real scary guy."  
  
"Oh..." Luke grinned, nodding. "Yeah."  
  
"Yeah." Xander agreed, dropping a few dollars on the bar as their cokes arrived. "How's the season looking?"  
  
"Good." Luke grinned wider as he pronounced his teams victory well in advance. "We're gonna go all the way this year."  
  
"Cool." Xander said, taking a drink. "Glad to hear it."  
  
"We got a game next week..." Luke thumped him on the back, causing Xander to spit his drink back into the glass. "You should come..."  
  
Xander choked a bit, but nodded. "Sure... I'll... do that..."  
  
"Good guy!" Luke said, "I like team spirit!"  
  
Xander was about to reply when Cordy came up and tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me? Are we on a date or what??"  
  
Xander smiled wryly to Luke as Cordy drug him off, "Sorry, man... duty calls... watch my drink for a couple minutes?"  
  
Luke nodded, taking another drink of his own coke. "Sure man."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
*****  
  
"What the hell was that about?" Cordelia demanded as she drug him back out on the floor.  
  
Xander smiled slightly, encircling her waist with his arm as they started moving to the music again. "Just a couple guys working out their differences... no big."  
  
"No big??" She asked incredulously, "You just got into a fist fight with the walking mountain of the football team! And you won!"  
  
Xander shook his head, "I didn't win... That was barely a tie."  
  
"Right."  
  
"I'm serious... He wasn't going down... and all it would have taken was one shot and I'd be in the hospital for a week." Xander said earnestly. "Luke is one tough SOB."  
  
"He's Luke now??" Cordy asked, "A minute ago he was trying to pound you into a puddle... and what are you now? Best buds?"  
  
Xander shrugged, "I wouldn't go that far... besides, he was just looking out for his team... In a twisted way I admit, but I can respect that."  
  
Cordelia shook her head, "You're nuts."  
  
"Is that your clinical diagnosis doctor?" Xander asked with a grin.  
  
"Hell yes."  
  
He was about to reply when a buzz on his hip caused Xander pull back from Cordy and pull his pager off his belt.  
  
"You have a pager!?" Cordy asked in surprise.  
  
He didn't reply, his face going dead serious as he read the numerical code that was displayed on the small device. "Cordy..." He said finally, "I have to go."  
  
"What!" She screeched, "Xander Harris, you are NOT leaving me here alone!"  
  
"Cordy... I... I have to go." Xander stammered. "I've got a job..."  
  
"Fine." She said, "But I'm coming too."  
  
He shook his head, "Cordelia... This is company business... Tony... my boss, wouldn't like me taking you along."  
  
"Do I look like I care?" She glared at him, "You are NOT walking out on me in front of all my friends."  
  
Xander groaned, but she was holding tight to his arm and he knew he wasn't going to get away without a scene at the very least.  
  
"Fine." He said at last, "I'll give you a lift home."  
  
Cordy looked down, her stern look vanishing in an instant. "I don't want to go home... Mom won't be... asleep yet."  
  
Xander closed his eyes, cursing himself for five kinds of fool and a soft touch to boot. "Ok... fine... you can come... MAYBE. First I have to see what's up."  
  
"Deal." Cordy said brightly, her hint of vulnerability gone as fast as it appeared, leaving Xander to wonder if he'd just been played.  
  
He shook it off and led her back to the bar and Luke, "Hey man.. I have to go, got a call from my boss..."  
  
"You got a job??" Luke blinked in surprise.  
  
"Yeah," Xander sighed, "The guy's a real hard nose though... anyway, have a good night, ok man?"  
  
Luke nodded, "Yeah... you too."  
  
"I wish." Xander smiled, then left.  
  
*****  
  
"Hey... where's Xander going?" Willow asked, watching as Xander and Cordy walked out the door.  
  
Buffy frowned, "He should know better then to go out alone at night..."  
  
"Cordy's with him." Willow said.  
  
"Like I said," Buffy replied, "He should know better then to go out alone. Come on... let's see what's up."  
  
She drug Willow out of the club and into the parking lot just in time to see Xander's sedan pull out of the lot and accelerate hard as it turned down the street.  
  
"Where is he going in such a hurry?" Willow asked, mostly to the air.  
  
Buffy frowned, remembering that Xander carried a gun as part of his job. "I don't know, Will... but I don't think I like it."  
  
***** "Xander!" Cordy squealed as she braced herself against the door when Xander spun the car around a corner and put his foot down. "Are you insane??"  
  
Xander didn't answer, instead he reached down and flipped open a small panel that lay between the seats. After it was open he flipped a switch and then spoke, "Computer, what's going on?"  
  
"Mr Stark has been waiting for you to make contact." The computer's voice was a little tinny due to the car's speakers and the transmission quality, but it was still easily understandable.  
  
"Put him through." Xander ordered.  
  
"Visual?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
A small flatscreen flipped out of the dash and flickered to life.  
  
Cordy stared between the screen and Xander in shock. "Xander... what...!?"  
  
She was cut off by a voice coming over the car speakers. "Xander, we have a... is there someone with you?"  
  
"Sorry Tony..." Xander apologized, preparing to fib slightly to his employer. "You caught me on a date... and I can't just toss someone out of my car in Sunnydale after dark."  
  
Tony nodded grimly, accepting the necessity of the situation but not liking it at all. "We have a problem."  
  
"I figured as much when my pager started crying the 'british are coming', Tony." Xander quipped with a slight smile. "I'm heading for my apartment now..."  
  
"Don't you have the... uh... briefcase with you?"  
  
Xander nodded slowly, "Is it that serious?"  
  
Tony nodded grimly. "We have a security breech at one of our buildings in L.A. The intruder pulled the schematics for the security system and the floor plans for our west coast labs using a rather daring bit of acrobatics..."  
  
"And now you're worried that they'll make a move on the lab?"  
  
Tony nodded. "They don't have much of a window either, and they know it. We probably discovered this a bit faster then they expected, one of our guards literally tripped over his own feet and spotted a shard of glass under a cabinet as he was getting up... Seems that while he may be clumsy, he's thorough... he shifted the cabinet and found a circle of cut glass stashed behind it... after that it didn't take him long to find the window it was missing from." Xander whistled, then grinned "Ok. I can be in L.A. in two hours... less if you're willing to foot the ticket."  
  
Tony shook his head, "I hate to say it but make it less."  
  
"You got it." Xander said, pushing the pedal to the floor.  
  
Cordelia squealed slightly as Xander started weaving in and out of traffic. "Xander...!"  
  
Tony glanced over at her, then back at Xander. "Uh... shouldn't you take her home or something?"  
  
Cordelia glared at the screen, "I don't know who you are and I don't give a damn. Xander's not going anywhere dangerous on his own!"  
  
Xander rolled his eyes.  
  
Tony glanced between them for a moment, "Let me guess... Slayer?"  
  
Cordy's eyes widened, Xander just shrugged. "Worse. Cheerleader."  
  
Tony rubbed the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a moment. "I don't want to know. Xander, be careful."  
  
"You know me, Tony." Xander grinned.  
  
"That's why I asked you to be careful." Tony returned, "I've given your AI the address of the lab, when you get there talk to Dr Pym... He's in charge of research and development in our West Coast Division."  
  
"Pym." Xander nodded, "Got it."  
  
"I don't expect you'll need it, but War Machine is standing by."  
  
Xander nodded, "That's good to know."  
  
Tony glanced at Cordelia again, "And I've also ordered Iron Man to the area to help you out."  
  
Xander kept a straight face, "Thanks."  
  
Tony smiled, "Take it easy on Shell Head, He's still complaining about vampires and skyscrapers."  
  
Xander shot the screen a dirty look, "I'll do my best."  
  
Tony nodded, "I know you will. Good luck." "Thanks Tony," Xander said, "Bye."  
  
"Bye." Tony replied and closed the connection.  
  
Xander slid past a slower moving car, then turned to Cordelia. "So... up for a trip to LA?"  
  
Cordy stared at him in shock. "Who *are* you?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Xander Harris doesn't DO things like this." Cordelia said, "He doesn't drive like a lunatic... I don't think... He doesn't investigate break ins... does he? I mean..."  
  
Xander tried to keep his voice light when he responded. "There's a lot of things that 'Xander Harris' does that you don't know about Cordy."  
  
She swallowed. "I'm starting to see that."  
  
Xander sighed, keeping an eye on the traffic. "I should have dropped you off."  
  
"No!" She shouted involuntarily, "No.... I'm ok. You just surprised me, that's all."  
  
"Cordy..." Xander began, "You're going to have to wait in the car."  
  
"What!?" Cordelia instantly objected.  
  
"Cordy!" Xander snapped, "This could be dangerous."  
  
"So's living in Sunnydale." Cordelia shrugged.  
  
"Living in Sunnydale isn't something we have a choice in," Xander replied, "But this is my job. Not yours. I'm actually paid to check this stuff out... besides, the company insurance won't cover you."  
  
Cordelia was actually thrown for a long moment at that last argument. Finally she looked at Xander as if he were crazy, "What!?"  
  
"You're not insured." Xander said simply, "If something happens to you the company is liable."  
  
"You have got to be kidding me!" Cordelia objected, "I patrol with Buffy... sometimes..."  
  
Xander smiled, "Vampires can't get sued... and neither can Slayers. It's a legal thing."  
  
Cordelia glared at him, "Like you care about that."  
  
Xander didn't respond right away, intent instead on weaving through the traffic on the highway. When he finally did he turned to Cordy with an admirably straight face and said, "I care very much about the law..."  
  
As Cordelia stared at him, her face skeptical but unable to r4eally argue, Xander added an addendum in his mind. When it get's things to go my way I do at any rate.  
  
*****  
  
Dr Hank Pym sighed as he looked over the security arrangements one last time, not really sure what he was looking for. Theoretically the security of these labs was above reproach, no one on Earth should be able to break in even with the protocols and floor plans.  
  
Still, he had to admit, the security at Stark Enterprises West Coast Head Quarters was supposedly of equal design and that meant nothing but trouble. Security men were running around the place, locking it down and tripling patrols, but he'd just received a call from Tony telling him that Iron Man himself was coming to town.  
  
That was something else that Dr Pym didn't understand. How could Iron Man be in LA, if Tony was still in New York? Stark Enterprises Chief of Security was never far from his boss, everyone at the company knew that. If it hadn't been for the few times that the two were seen together, people would have thought that Tony himself *was* Iron Man.  
  
Pym shook his head, he'd think about that later if he remembered to. It wasn't important anyway. Iron Man wasn't needed here at any rate, under normal conditions this place was locked down tighter then the Pentagon, right now it was a police state's wet dream.  
  
*****  
  
The figured moved silently as he looked over the movement below and to the right of him. He smiled as he watched all the guards hustle and bustle about their duty, knowing that the confusion and noise of such an operation would work to his advantage.  
  
"Now, now," He whispered, "Time to be doing this here little job."  
  
He jumped from the rooftop, little more then a shadow cut from the night sky to any observers below, and free fell for a few dozen feet before he hooked a flag staff and looped around it like an Olympic gymnast. He spun two cycles around and let go, arcing up through the air almost parallel to the building, and landed on a narrow concrete ledge with an easy grace. He flattened himself against the bulletproof glass and smiled.  
  
"Dis won't be enough to keep ol Remy out." He whispered to himself with a slight grin as he touched the center of the glass with his hand. A moment later the glass began to glow with a dull yellow energy about two feet in diameter. It pulsed once, then twice, and on the third time it exploded with a controlled pop. Sparks erupted, striking the ledge and the inside of the building, but burning out before they could do any damage. As the glow faded away, Remy slipped in through the hole and vanished into the Stark Enterprises Lab.  
  
*****  
  
READ THIS!! :  
  
If you want more stories/faster updates in this and/or the Journeyverse series don't ask me. Just go to my Yahoo group and check it out for DAILY updates. I only post here when I get around to it... which can be any stretch of time at all. FF.Net simply isn't a priority given the recent uncertainties in posting here. So far I've been lucky, none of my fics have been deleted, but a lot of stories are biting the big one for little to no reason.  
  
www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/journeyverse 


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